Amazon Subsidiaries

Amazon is one of the world’s largest companies, headquartered in Delaware, with an expansive portfolio and a comprehensive business model. It has a formidable foothold in e-commerce, streaming media, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence. As part of its business strategy, it has assembled an impressive collection of subsidiaries covering multiple industries and countries worldwide.

Among its over 40 subsidiaries, some of Amazon’s most outstanding enterprises include Amazon Web Services (cloud technology), Amazon Robotics (automation), and Amazon Pharmacy (healthcare).

Among the companies Amazon has acquired or developed as subsidiary companies are Whole Foods Market (groceries), Twitch Interactive (live-streaming), Zoox (self-driving technology), Audible (audiobooks), AbeBooks (rare books), PillPack (pharmaceutical delivery service), Woot! (daily deals), Ring (smart home security systems), and IMDb (entertainment database). This list of companies Amazon owns reflects its growth-focused business strategy and diverse global footprint.

Amazon Top 10 Notable Subsidiaries in 2024

Whole Foods Market

Founded in 1980 and headquartered in Austin, TX, Whole Foods Market is an American grocery chain specializing in organic and natural products. In 2017, Amazon purchased Whole Foods for a whopping $13.7 billion — marking the e-commerce giant’s foray into brick-and-mortar retailing.

Since then, Whole Foods has been at the forefront of Amazon’s continuous expansion across the U.S. and abroad. The retailer offers customers premium quality produce, plant-based foods, seafood, and meat, as well as ready meals, with a commitment to nutrition excellence and sustainability. Additionally, online ordering services are available for those who prefer to shop from home or abroad.

Twitch Interactive

Twitch Interactive, an American video game streaming platform owned by Amazon and co-founded in 2011 by Kevin Lin, the company’s COO, was acquired by the e-commerce giant for an impressive reported sum of $970 million in 2014. Due to some retention agreements, the resulting deal value exceeded $1 billion — this was one of the most profitable deals of its kind at the time.

Since its acquisition, the online streaming service has become an enormous success, becoming a major player in esports and video game culture. The platform allows gamers to stream live gameplay while interacting with viewers within a chat window, creating an engaging community atmosphere around games. 

Twitch offers several ways that users can monetize their content, including advertising revenue, Bits (a virtual currency used to reward streamers), and subscriptions, through which users gain access to premium features such as emote icons or exclusive rewards customized for each channel. This helps incentivize gamers to create high-quality content on the site, further driving user engagement and growth. 

Twitch has become much more than just a streaming service in recent years. They have started hosting events, such as TwitchCon, which features famous gaming personalities worldwide doing their best — playing video games and interacting with fans! This event serves as great advertising for their service. It is another way for them to build relationships within their vast user base, providing various rewards and unique experiences.

Amazon Web Services (AWS)

Among the companies Amazon owns, Amazon Web Services (AWS) stands out as one of its most significant subsidiaries, pioneering advancements in cloud computing worldwide. As part of Amazon’s strategy to diversify into technology infrastructure, AWS has grown into a leading platform offering cloud storage, computing power, machine learning, and artificial intelligence solutions. AWS is a core part of Amazon’s owned companies, providing critical services to enterprises and governments.

This subsidiary company enables Amazon to capitalize on sectors such as data processing, artificial intelligence, and machine learning, helping Amazon stay ahead in tech innovation. The growth of AWS has not only driven substantial revenue for Amazon.

Still, it has also shaped the broader cloud computing landscape with innovations like Amazon Robotics for automated solutions, bolstering Amazon’s logistics and warehouse efficiencies. AWS remains at the center of Amazon’s technological insights and news, regularly releasing updates that set the industry standard and provide a competitive edge to Amazon’s portfolio.

Ring

Ring, one of Amazon’s significant subsidiaries, is a prominent player in the smart home security industry, offering a range of products from video doorbells to complete home security systems. Acquired in 2018 as part of Amazon’s strategy to expand its portfolio of owned companies in the smart home sector, Ring has become a staple among companies Amazon owns that focus on enhancing home security and convenience.

Known for its innovative approach to home monitoring, Ring’s devices allow users to view and interact with visitors via their smartphones, delivering peace of mind and enhancing residential security.

As one of the significant subsidiaries within Amazon’s ecosystem, Ring’s technology integrates seamlessly with Amazon Alexa, allowing for voice-controlled access to security features. This acquisition aligns with Amazon’s broader goals of creating a comprehensive smart home environment alongside other subsidiary companies.

Ring’s services also tap into Amazon’s logistics network, enabling efficient product delivery and easy access to customer support. This solidifies Ring’s position within the Amazon companies dedicated to household innovation.

Zoox

Zoox is a self-driving technology company owned by Amazon that creates autonomous vehicles, or “robotaxis,” without steering wheels or pedals. These machines can carry up to four passengers. The name “Zoox” refers to Zooxanthellae, an organism in the ocean that uses renewable energy and lives in symbiosis with its environment. 

In 2020, Amazon purchased Zoox to automate its delivery fleet. This acquisition gave Amazon access to critical technologies from the startup’s founders and employees, such as vehicle design and software engineering expertise. 

Under CEO Aicha Evans, Zoox has continued working on its autonomous car platform. Recently, it became the first company to receive Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards certification for its purpose-built electric passenger vehicle, allowing it access to public roads. 

Zoox also acquired Strio.AI on March 8, 2022 to further strengthen its technology stack. This San Francisco-based machine learning startup is focused on building advanced perception algorithms that enable more efficient operations of autonomous systems in dynamic environments like cities.

Additionally, this integration provides business intelligence capabilities that will allow better decision-making at scale and improve operational efficiency when deploying fleets of robots into real-world contexts. 

As part of its mission to provide safer, accessible transportation solutions for all people — riders and drivers alike — Zoox continues developing new technologies to make autonomous vehicles accessible on public roads across the U.S.

Audible

Audible is an audiobook service from Amazon that provides the largest selection of titles, ranging from books to new releases and podcasts. Since Amazon purchased it in 2008 for $300 million, it has been a popular way for people to listen to their favorite materials without having to read them physically. 

Audible’s business model includes subscription services where users can access unlimited titles for a monthly fee, one-time purchases, and credits that can be used to buy downloads from their online store.

Audible provides access to over 200,000 audiobooks, spoken word programs from top authors and celebrities, documentaries, and Audible Originals. Listeners can enjoy content in a range of genres, including nonfiction, business and finance, science fiction and fantasy, romance novels, classics and literary fiction, children’s books, and health and fitness guides. Subscribers gain exclusive access to content unavailable elsewhere, such as on Audible Channels, which feature a range of free short stories, lectures, comedy shows, and more.

AbeBooks

AbeBooks is an international e-commerce website that offers a wide selection of books, fine art, and collectibles. Established in 1996 and focused on used, rare, and out-of-print materials, AbeBooks operates seven global marketplaces, connecting buyers to millions of titles from thousands of independent booksellers. In 2008, Amazon acquired AbeBooks, cementing its position as one of the world’s most popular online book retailers.

Since becoming part of Amazon’s family, AbeBooks has continued to offer its customers a vast selection of titles, from new books to centuries-old collectibles, all from third-party sellers who post their items on the marketplace for buyers to find. These sellers typically include individuals and bookstores that might be looking for better sources of inventory at more competitive prices than what they can find locally or through traditional distribution channels.

PillPack

PillPack is another notable company Amazon owns, representing Amazon’s expansion into the healthcare industry. Acquired in 2018, PillPack became a key component of Amazon’s healthcare-focused subsidiary companies. Known for its efficient, user-friendly online pharmacy services, PillPack allows customers to conveniently receive prescriptions organized by dose and delivered directly to their doorsteps.

This acquisition was a significant milestone in Amazon’s journey to revolutionize healthcare through digital solutions. It enhanced its range of owned companies, focusing on customer-centric pharmaceutical services.

As a subsidiary company within Amazon’s health and wellness segment, PillPack is bolstered by Amazon’s advanced logistics network, including Amazon Robotics, enabling faster and more accurate medication delivery. News surrounding PillPack often highlights Amazon’s broader ambition to disrupt traditional healthcare delivery systems. With its emphasis on streamlining pharmacy experiences, PillPack has added critical insights and value to Amazon’s healthcare initiatives, reinforcing Amazon’s position as a leader in tech-driven healthcare solutions.

Woot!

The simplicity of Woot’s model is its main strength. Whereas other brands attempt to offer a wide variety of products, Woot started by honing in on one focus: offering just one product each day at a discounted price.

This allowed the company to keep costs down, meaning their daily deals could be incredibly cheap for shoppers who take advantage of the offers. In addition, the limited-time aspect adds an element of excitement and scarcity that encourages customers to act quickly if they want to get their hands on any particular product. 

Though it started solely as an electronics retailer, since Amazon purchased Woot in 2010, it has expanded into numerous other categories. These days, you can find everything from clothing and accessories to home decor and kitchen appliances in their daily sales section. Customers can also search through regular products sold on the site, such as everyday essentials like laundry detergent or pet food delivered directly from Amazon’s warehouses.

IMDb

As a wholly owned division of Amazon.com, IMDb’s head office is in Seattle; however, Col Needham (the company founder and CEO) still resides at the website’s original base in Bristol, England. IMDb stands for “Internet Movie Database” and was launched by software engineer and avid film enthusiast Needham in 1990 as his personal project. It quickly became a full-fledged website where anyone could access information about films or TV programs, including their casts and crew members.

IMDb’s primary source of income is advertising revenue from its website. Advertisements are placed throughout the site, explicitly targeting audiences most likely to be interested in certain films, television programs, and related services.

This model allows IMDb to generate enough income to sustain operations while providing users with helpful content and information about movies and TV shows they may want to watch. The company has seen success with this model over the years since it was acquired by Amazon in 1998 while only having 16 employees — today, it employs around 984 people globally.

More recent Amazon subsidiaries 

One Medical

One Medical is a membership-based primary care organization recently acquired by Amazon, Inc. for $3.9 billion. Founded in 2007 by physician Tom Lee, One Medical has grown from a single San Francisco clinic to 188 offices in 29 markets and 3,090 employees across the United States. Amir Dan Rubin currently serves as Chief Executive Officer and President of One Medical, and has also been a member and chair of their board of directors since August 2017. 

Members who join the company can access personal medical coverage that includes comprehensive health plans and benefits such as scheduling services online with same-day appointments; routine preventive screenings; lab testing; behavioral health support; specialty care, including physical therapy and vision care; free medication delivery; patient education materials; drug pricing tools; discounts on preventive medications; and more.

Amazon’s acquisition of One Medical enables customers to access care through their providers conveniently, obtain prescribed medications online, and procure all necessary health-related retail products in one convenient location. 

In 2021, shortly before Amazon’s acquisition was announced, One Medical acquired Iora Health. This company further integrated healthcare services into its already comprehensive offerings, like digital checkups via video chat or phone calls and full medical records available on its app platform.

On top of these advancements made before Amazon’s acquisition announcement, it appears that Amazon intends to continue investing heavily in advancing much-needed innovation within the healthcare system through One Medical — resulting in higher quality outcomes at lower costs and doing more suitable for both individuals seeking reliable medical resources, as well as employers looking to reduce healthcare costs associated with employee benefits packages without cutting corners on quality service offerings or endangering their workforce’s overall wellbeing.

iRobot

Amazon’s purchase of iRobot in August 2022 demonstrated the company’s dedication to owning the smart home device market. The acquisition was an all-cash deal, with Amazon offering $61 per share to iRobot shareholders. Upon completion, the transaction helped expand Amazon’s presence and dominance in the consumer robotics market.

With this acquisition, Amazon maximized its current cross-activity network effects from consumers who have connected more than 300 million devices, such as lights, curtains, and vacuums, to Alexa. From a financial standpoint, iRobot struggled when Amazon made the offer: their net profit margin registered -18.24% as of September 2022, before the merger agreement was finalized. 

Owning a stake in iRobot places Amazon in new markets with potential for revenue generation that could be leveraged over time; however, privacy advocates worry that this same technology could be manipulated or used against individuals’ best interests by unknowingly monitoring personal data within homes and even private lives.

As part of its promise to customers following the completion of the transaction, Amazon pledges not to misuse any data collected through its use of Roomba vacuums or any other products developed by iRobot, moving forward. This understanding assures that trust remains a top priority for both companies going forward, despite worries in some circles about its implications for people’s privacy rights.

Which companies are owned by Amazon?

Amazon is an e-commerce giant with a massive presence and influence worldwide. The company has acquired and established subsidiaries and affiliates to expand its reach and growth beyond e-commerce. The following are some of the companies owned by Amazon:

• Whole Foods Market – Grocery retail
• Twitch Interactive  – Live-streaming platform
• Zoox – Self-driving vehicle technology
• Audible – Audiobook and spoken-word content
• AbeBooks – Marketplace for rare and collectible books
• Woot! – Daily deals and discounts
• IMDb – Entertainment and movie database
• Amazon Web Services (AWS) – Cloud computing services
• Amazon Robotics – Warehouse automation and robotics
• Amazon Pharmacy – Online pharmacy services
• Ring – Smart home security systems
• Zappos – Online shoe and clothing retailer
• PillPack – Pharmaceutical delivery service
• Goodreads – Social cataloging of books
• Kiva Systems – Robotics, now part of Amazon Robotics
• Book Depository – Online book retailer
• Annapurna Labs – Microprocessor development
• eero – Home mesh Wi-Fi system provider
• Blink – Home security cameras and monitoring
• Canvas Technology – Robotics company for autonomous cart technology
• Shoefitr – Virtual shoe fitting software

Who owns most of Amazon?

After Jeff Bezos’ 10% ownership of Amazon’s outstanding shares, The Vanguard Group, Inc. is the next largest shareholder with 6.52% of Amazon’s shares, followed by BlackRock Fund Advisors (3.68%), SSgA Funds Management, Inc. (3.23%), T. Rowe Price Associates (2.77%), and Fidelity Management & Research Company (2.74%).

These major shareholders hold between 13 and 56 billion dollars in market value of Amazon stocks or equities. Bezos owns a majority stake in the company, with mutual fund holders and all other institutional shareholders owning a combined 60.09% equity in Amazon overall.

Does Jeff Bezos own all of Amazon?

Despite stepping down as CEO of Amazon in 2021, Jeff Bezos continues to serve as the executive chairman and holds majority ownership of the company, owning 10% (about 992 million shares) of its outstanding stock; he, however, does not own all of it as others have significant equity holdings in the company, such as Vanguard Group (with 664 million shares), BlackRock Fund Advisors (375 million shares), and SSgA Funds Management (329 million shares).