Serve Robotics Inc., a major player in autonomous sidewalk delivery, has announced its acquisition of hospital logistics specialist Diligent Robotics Inc. for $29 million. The deal marks Serve’s strategic expansion into indoor healthcare robotics, combining its large-scale outdoor navigation expertise with Diligent’s proven Moxi robots, which have completed over 1.25 million tasks in more than 25 hospitals.
The autonomous robots delivering your takeout are about to get a new day job in the hospital. Serve Robotics, known for its fleet of over 2,000 sidewalk delivery robots, is entering the healthcare sector with the acquisition of Diligent Robotics, the maker of the Moxi hospital helper robot. The $29 million deal, reported by The Robot Report, represents a major consolidation in commercial robotics, pairing outdoor logistics with specialized indoor manipulation.
“This is a case of prepared mind meets opportunity,” said Ali Kashani, co-founder and CEO of Serve Robotics. He emphasized the strategic fit, noting Diligent’s real-world experience operating a skilled robotic fleet in complex environments. “They’re one of the few robotics companies that have actually been out in the field with a real skilled fleet. That’s something that’s very much a match to our DNA.”
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The acquisition is a significant technological evolution for Serve. While its current robots are designed for outdoor sidewalk navigation, Diligent’s Moxi robot possesses a key capability: mobile manipulation. Moxi’s single arm allows it to open doors, interact with elevators, and handle supplies—skills essential for navigating crowded hospital corridors and completing delivery tasks. “In robotics, in general, you do have those two problem sets to solve: the navigation and manipulation,” Kashani explained. “Bringing this together makes a lot of sense.”
The synergy flows both ways. Serve plans to leverage its scaling and manufacturing prowess to accelerate Diligent’s growth. “A year ago, we had deployed 100 robots, and we scaled to 2,000,” Kashani noted. “[Diligent] is at about 100 robots right now… Ultimately, what we want is to supercharge Diligent and their team.” Andrea Thomaz, co-founder and CEO of Diligent Robotics, will continue to lead the company post-acquisition.
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For Serve, the move is a calculated step toward more versatile robotics. According to The Robot Report, Kashani sees this as an evolution toward more human-centric automation, with commercial viability guiding the path. The combined entity will gain access to unique data from both crowded indoor and unpredictable outdoor environments, which will be used to train more robust and capable AI navigation models.
The deal, expected to close in the first quarter of 2026, includes an additional potential $5.3 million earn-out for Diligent shareholders based on future milestones. It follows a period of aggressive growth for Serve, which raised over $100 million last year and acquired the assets of computer vision firms Voysys and Vayu Robotics.
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This acquisition signals a maturation in the robotics-as-a-service sector, where companies are moving beyond niche applications to build integrated platforms capable of operating across multiple domains. By bridging the gap between outdoor delivery and indoor hospital logistics, Serve Robotics is positioning itself as a broader provider of autonomous workforce solutions.
