Company: SERV
Filing Date: 2025-03-06
Form Type: 10-K
Source: 0001832483-25-000010
Chunk: 74

Company: Serve Robotics Inc. /DE/
Filing Date: 2025-03-06
Form: 10-K
Item: Item 1A
Chunk 74
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 with respect to operations that are outside our control. Global supply chain problems directly impact our ability to obtain these components cost-effectively. We could experience delays to the extent our current or future partners do not continue doing business with us, meet agreed upon timelines, experience capacity constraints or otherwise are unable to deliver components or manufacture robots as expected. For example, we have had to delay increasing the number of robots in our fleet due to previous third-party supply restraints. Serve has an agreement with a leading LIDAR vendor to purchase LIDARs at highly competitive prices for a defined quantity. Failure to leverage this agreement, or secure similar supplier agreements for components that may face availability constraints due to supply chain disruptions can result in higher prices for those components, which in turn increases the cost of manufacturing robots and result in an adverse financial impact to our delivery economics.

There is risk of potential disputes with partners, and we could be affected by adverse publicity related to our partners whether or not such publicity is related to their collaboration with us. Our ability to successfully build a premium brand could also be adversely affected by perceptions about the quality of our partner manufacturers’ robots or other robots manufactured by the same partner. In addition, although we intend to be involved in material decisions in the supply chain and manufacturing process, given that we also rely on our partners to meet our quality standards, there can be no assurance that we will be able to maintain high quality standards.

We may in the future enter into strategic alliances, including joint ventures or minority equity investments, with various third parties to further our business purpose. These alliances could subject us to a number of risks, including risks associated with sharing proprietary information, non-performance by the third party, and increased expenses in establishing new strategic alliances, any of which may materially and adversely affect our business.

Tariffs imposed by the United States and other countries, as well as changing trade relations, regional and international conflicts, and political conditions could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations. 

Changes in United States and foreign governments’ trade policies, as well as volatility caused by regional and international conflicts, and the political climate in the United States, have resulted in, and may continue to result in, tariffs on imports into and exports from the United States. Tariffs on certain products can increase our costs of doing business. If we are unable to recover these costs, our business may be adversely impacted. Diminished trade relations, conflicts between the United States and other countries, and any escalation of tariffs could have a material adverse effect on our