Marko Bjelonic

Marko Bjelonic is a robotics engineer, researcher, and entrepreneur, currently serving as the Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of RIVR, a Swiss robotics company focused on General Physical AI for last-mile delivery. He was born in 1990 in the former Yugoslavia and moved to Germany with his family during the civil war in the 1990s. He completed his education across Germany, Norway, and Australia, building a strong international academic foundation in mechanical engineering and robotics.

Marko earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Technische Universität Darmstadt, followed by two Master of Science degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) and Technische Universität Darmstadt. He later completed his Doctor of Science (PhD) in Robotics at ETH Zurich, one of the world’s leading universities in robotics research. During his PhD, he was one of the first doctoral students in the Robotic Systems Lab under Professor Marco Hutter, where he worked extensively on legged and wheeled-legged robots.

His research contributions include pioneering hybrid locomotion systems that combine wheels and legs, leading to patented technology that significantly improves energy efficiency and mobility on varied terrain. He also contributed to one of the earliest uses of artificial neural networks on legged robots, helping advance the field of Physical AI. Marko played a key role in the development of the ANYmal quadrupedal robot and was part of the winning team of the third DARPA Robotics Challenge, a major global robotics competition.

After completing his PhD, Marko continued at ETH Zurich as a postdoctoral researcher and researcher across multiple national research programmes, including NCCR Robotics and NCCR Digital Fabrication. Alongside academia, he gained business experience by managing and successfully selling his family company.

In 2024, he co-founded RIVR, formerly known as Swiss-Mile, with backing from prominent investors including Jeff Bezos. The company focuses on autonomous robots designed to operate in real-world urban environments, aiming to transform last-mile delivery through General Physical AI. Marko has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications in leading robotics journals and conferences, covering hybrid locomotion, motion planning, whole-body control, and real-world robotic deployment.

Marko Bjelonic was born in 1990 in the former Yugoslavia. During the civil war in the 1990s, his family moved to Germany, where he spent most of his early life. Growing up in Germany, he developed an early interest in engineering and technology. This interest later shaped his academic path and professional career in robotics.

He began his formal engineering education in 2010 when he enrolled in the Bachelor of Science programme in Mechanical Engineering at Technische Universität Darmstadt in Germany. During his undergraduate studies from 2010 to 2013, he gained strong foundations in mechanics, systems engineering, and applied mathematics. Alongside his studies, he took on practical roles, including internships and technical work at companies such as Daimler AG and PKI Zerspanungstechnik GmbH, where he gained early industry exposure.

In 2013, Marko continued his education at an international level. He pursued a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) from 2013 to 2014. This experience strengthened his understanding of advanced mechanical systems and research-based engineering. He later completed a second Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering at Technische Universität Darmstadt from 2014 to 2016, further deepening his technical knowledge.

Between 2014 and 2016, Marko worked on several research and engineering projects. He was involved in robotics research at CSIRO in Australia as a postgraduate student at the Autonomous Systems Lab. During this period, he worked on legged robot systems, including the hexapod robot Weaver, which focused on autonomous navigation in unstructured environments. This work later resulted in multiple academic publications in international robotics journals and conferences.

In 2016, Marko joined ETH Zurich to begin his doctoral studies at the Robotic Systems Lab. He was among the first PhD students under Professor Marco Hutter. From 2016 to 2021, his doctoral research focused on legged and wheeled-legged robots, hybrid locomotion, whole-body control, and motion planning. During his PhD, he developed a patented hybrid locomotion system that combined wheels and legs on quadrupedal robots, improving both speed and energy efficiency. This work was validated on the ANYmal robot platform.

During this period, Marko also contributed to one of the earliest implementations of artificial neural networks on legged robots, advancing what is now known as Physical AI. His research led to several important publications in IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, ICRA, IROS, the Journal of Field Robotics, and Advanced Robotics. His work addressed real-time trajectory optimisation, zero-moment point control, rough-terrain locomotion, posture adaptation in confined spaces, and autonomous industrial inspection.

In 2018 and 2019, Marko was part of major robotics competitions. He contributed to the ANYmal robot’s participation in the ARGOS Challenge and the European Robotics League. He was also part of the winning team of the third DARPA Robotics Challenge, an international robotics competition focused on autonomous systems operating in hazardous environments. The competition was widely recognised as a major milestone in robotics research.

Alongside his academic work, Marko gained business experience. From 2020 to 2021, he managed his family company, which had annual sales of approximately 350,000 USD. He successfully negotiated and completed the sale of the business in 2021.

After completing his PhD in 2021, Marko continued at ETH Zurich as a postdoctoral researcher at the Robotic Systems Lab until 2023. During this time, he was also a researcher with NCCR Robotics and NCCR Digital Fabrication. His research continued to focus on real-world robotic deployment, hybrid locomotion, and scalable robotic systems.

In 2024, Marko co-founded RIVR, previously known as Swiss-Mile, a Swiss robotics company focused on General Physical AI. He became the Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of the company. RIVR develops autonomous wheeled-legged robots designed for last-mile delivery in complex urban environments. The company is backed by well-known investors, including Jeff Bezos and institutional partners linked to Switzerland. Under his leadership, RIVR aims to bring robotics research from the laboratory into everyday commercial use.

As of the present, Marko Bjelonic is based in Zurich, Switzerland. He continues to lead RIVR while remaining closely connected to the robotics research community. His career combines deep academic research, real-world robotic deployment, and company building, with a continued focus on General Physical AI and autonomous systems operating in real environments.

Marko Bjelonic’s vision is to build robots that can safely and reliably work in real-world environments alongside humans. He aims to move robotics beyond controlled laboratories and into everyday use, especially in complex urban settings. His focus is on General Physical AI, where robots can see, move, and adapt to changing surroundings without constant human control. He believes robots should be energy-efficient, robust, and useful at scale. Through his work at RIVR, his goal is to improve last-mile delivery by using autonomous robots that reduce human effort, increase safety, and operate effectively across varied terrain and conditions.

Marko Bjelonic has received strong recognition for his contributions to robotics research and applied innovation. He was part of the winning team of the third DARPA Robotics Challenge, one of the most respected global robotics competitions. His work on the ANYmal quadrupedal robot was recognised through successful participation in the ARGOS Challenge and the European Robotics League. His research has been published in leading international journals and conferences, including IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, ICRA, IROS, and the Journal of Field Robotics. His patented hybrid wheeled-legged locomotion technology is also recognised as a significant advancement in mobile robotics.