Keller Rinaudo Cliffton

Also known as Keller Rinaudo, Keller Cliffton

Keller Rinaudo Cliffton is a robotics builder whose autonomous delivery systems use AI to carry medical supplies and consumer products. At Harvard, he shared first authorship of a 2007 RNA logic paper in human kidney cells, and the work made him one of Nature Biotechnology’s youngest first authors. He founded Romotive to make the iPhone-controlled Romo, then co-founded Zipline in March 2014. Zipline began blood deliveries in Rwanda in 2016, completed its millionth commercial delivery in April 2024, and launched Platform 2 for home delivery in April 2025. A State Department award supported Zipline’s AI and robotics expansion in November 2025; the company raised $600 million in January 2026, and Cliffton is its co-founder and CEO as of October 2026.

Now at: Zipline
Born: 1987
Badges: Founder
Links: X

Years link to their sources.

Timeline

2007

RNA logic in human cells

At Harvard’s FAS Center for Systems Biology, he shares first authorship with Leonidas Bleris on a 2007 Nature Biotechnology paper with Yaakov Benenson. Their RNA-interference core evaluates Boolean expressions with up to five logic variables in human kidney cells, and the paper makes him one of the journal’s youngest first authors.
2011–2013

Romotive and the Romo robot

A Harvard graduate, he works as a software engineer and professional rock climber before Zipline. He founds Romotive in 2011 to make Romo, an iPhone-controlled robot. The Las Vegas startup raises $5 million in Series A funding led by Sequoia Capital; in January 2013, it signs a production contract with an Asian manufacturer, and at TED2013 he demonstrates Romo in Long Beach, California.
March 2014

Co-founding Zipline

Romotive ceases operations in 2014. In March 2014, he co-founds Zipline in Half Moon Bay, California, with Keenan Wyrobek, Ryan Oksenhorn and William Hetzler; they develop a fixed-wing drone for medical delivery.
October 2016

Blood by drone in Rwanda

In October 2016, Rwanda launches a national drone delivery service built and operated by Zipline during a ceremony in Muhanga District; its drones carry emergency blood to 21 transfusing facilities in the western half of the country. As CEO, he works with Rwanda toward putting each of its 12 million citizens within a 15–30 minute delivery of any essential medical product.
April 2024

A millionth delivery

In April 2024, Zipline completes its millionth commercial delivery after flying more than 70 million autonomous commercial miles.
April 2025

Platform 2 for home delivery

In April 2025, Zipline launches Platform 2, a vertical takeoff and landing drone for shorter-range home deliveries. Across Zipline’s fleet, custom software running on Nvidia chips enables autonomous navigation and obstacle avoidance.
November 2025

A State Department award

In November 2025, Zipline receives up to $150 million from the U.S. State Department to expand AI and robotics infrastructure for 24/7 delivery of essential medical supplies to African hospitals and health facilities. Cliffton says the U.S. government uses Zipline’s AI, robotics and autonomous logistics system to improve health outcomes.
As of October 2026

Co-founder and CEO of Zipline

In January 2026, Zipline raises $600 million at a $7.6 billion valuation, with Fidelity, Baillie Gifford, Valor Equity Partners and Tiger Global among its investors. The South San Francisco company delivers food, retail and healthcare products directly to U.S. homes. As of October 2026, Cliffton is its co-founder and CEO.