Deal strengthens first- and last-mile logistics as Grab deepens investments in AI-driven automation
Southeast Asian super app Grab Holdings Ltd. has acquired Infermove, a Chinese artificial intelligence robotics company, in a strategic move to strengthen its first- and last-mile delivery capabilities and accelerate automation across its logistics network.
The acquisition, announced internally by Grab in December, underscores the company’s growing focus on AI-powered robotics as on-demand delivery volumes rise and labor costs increase across the region. Infermove will continue to operate as an independent entity, with its founding team retained and founder Aaron Lu reporting directly to Grab’s CTO.
Founded in 2021, Infermove specializes in autonomous driving systems for unstructured environments and mobile manipulation robots designed specifically for complex last-mile delivery scenarios. Its portfolio includes sidewalk delivery robots with upper-limb manipulation capabilities and personal mobility robots built to navigate real-world urban environments.
“Infermove’s technology and rapid progress in embodied delivery robots are impressive, and this acquisition significantly strengthens our automation roadmap,” said Suthen Thomas, Chief Technology Officer, Grab.
A key differentiator of Infermove’s technology is its “Rider Shadow System,” which uses data collected from non-motorized vehicles such as delivery riders’ electric scooters and wheelchairs to train robots. This approach addresses one of the biggest challenges in embodied intelligence—slow and expensive data acquisition—by reducing reliance on simulations and limited demonstration data. Through imitation learning, reinforcement learning, and proprietary end-to-end algorithms, Infermove’s robots demonstrate increasingly human-like operational capabilities.
Despite its short history, Infermove has shown rapid commercial traction. Its Carri series robots are already deployed with major Chinese delivery platforms including Meituan, Ele.me, Sam’s Club, and Dada of JD.com. Internationally, the company has launched pilot projects in Singapore, Japan, and Australia, aligning well with Grab’s core markets.
Financial disclosures indicate that Infermove’s revenue grew from RMB 100,000 in 2023 to RMB 10 million in 2025, with expectations to cross RMB 200 million in 2026, backed by more than 1,000 outstanding orders.
Industry analysts note that the global last-mile delivery robotics market is projected to exceed $20 billion by 2027, making AI-led automation a critical competitive advantage. For Grab, the acquisition positions the company to improve delivery reliability, scalability, and unit economics as it continues to expand its mobility and delivery ecosystem across Southeast Asia and beyond.