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Leadership
Charlie Andersen, CEO
Charlie grew up on a working farm. This experience led him to believe that all tedious outdoor labor should be automated, and simultaneously to understand the challenges that robots face in industries like agriculture. He founded Burro after working for CNHi, where he reported to the head of the North American operating unit and worked on special projects across sales, marketing, manufacturing, distribution, and autonomy M&A. He received a BA from Amherst College, and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Vanessa McGrath, Chief of Staff + General Counsel
Vanessa McGrath is Burro’s Chief of Staff and General Counsel. In this role, she partners closely with the CEO and senior leadership team to shape company strategy, lead cross-functional initiatives, and drive organizational growth. Vanessa oversees board and investor relations and supports Burro’s fundraising efforts, while also managing all aspects of the company’s legal function. As a key strategic advisor, she helps ensure alignment across Burro’s executive team and supports the company’s scaling efforts.
Prior to joining Burro, Vanessa practiced employment law and served as a clerk for the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. She holds a B.A. from Ursinus College and a J.D. from Temple University Beasley School of Law, and is licensed to practice law in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Outside of the office, Vanessa enjoys spending time with her dog Teddy, and is an enthusiastic supporter of Philadelphia’s vibrant arts community, including the Philadelphia Museum of Art and Philadelphia Ballet.
Mark Gaudiosi, CFO
Mark has 25+ years of strategic finance experience across multiple sectors and companies. Most recently Mark was the Chief Financial Officer at Medical Guardian, a leading Healthcare company helping people live a life without limits, where he oversaw the Finance and Accounting teams through M&A and profitable growth. Prior to that Mark was the Chief Financial Officer at Gopuff where he led the growth and scale of enterprise value over 3500%. Over the past 10 years Mark has driven growth by building a world class finance organization focused on profitability and multiple strategic acquisitions.
Prior to Gopuff, Mark led Accounting and Finance organizations for large retail and technology companies including eBay Enterprise (now Radial), Aramark, and Wawa. Mark began his career in the Philadelphia startup scene, building teams and partnership to successfully work through an acquisition and IPO at Zany Brainy.
Mark received his MBA in Finance and BS in Accounting from Drexel University and sits on both the Riddle Hospital Healthcare Foundation Board as Treasurer and the Advisory Committee of the CFO Leadership Council.
Kevin Leiter, COO
Kevin leads the development and execution of Burro’s operations strategy, including overseeing manufacturing, supply chain logistics, and Robot Support. Prior to joining Burro, Kevin gained extensive experience launching, scaling, and improving manufacturing and supply chain operations in large-scale and start-up environments at Tesla and for clients of Deloitte Consulting. Most recently, Kevin applied his operational mindset to developing TE Connectivity’s corporate and distribution go-to-market strategies, with an emphasis on implementation and value capture. Kevin’s passion for bringing impactful products to market was reinforced while obtaining an MBA from MIT Sloan School of Management, an M.S. in Supply Chain Systems Engineering from MIT School of Engineering, and a B.S. in Systems Engineering from University of Pennsylvania.
Guillermo Pita Gil, CTO
Guillermo is Burro’s Chief Technology Officer. He is focused on bringing operational excellence and engineering craftsmanship to the engineering team. Prior to Burro, Guillermo spent 15 years working in the automotive industry. He was the Director of Planning, Controls and HMI at Woven Planet and the Toyota Research Institute in California. Guillermo also worked for 12 years for the ADAS and AD departments of Renault in Paris and Nissan in Japan developing and shipping to production chassis control and ADAS/AD systems. He received his Ph.D. in controls theory from Centrale Supelec in France and two masters degrees in electrical engineering and applied mathematics from Supelec and Paris Sud. He has 15 papers and over 60 patents.
Moira Doherty, VP of Product
Moira leads the Product team at Burro, accountable for defining the strategy and roadmap for our product portfolio. Prior to joining Burro, Moira led Product at Motional, where she launched Motional’s autonomous vehicle service on Uber, Uber Eats, and Lyft. At iRobot, she defined a new product category introducing services and subscriptions to the core Roomba business. Additionally, she advanced iRobot’s robot lawn mower from prototype to production and into the hands of 300+ testers across the US and Europe. Earlier in her career, Moira spent time in and around academic research labs – first as an engineer at Disney Research and MIT, and then as an early stage investor at Allied Minds. Moira received an SB in mechanical engineering from Harvard and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Vibhor Sood
Vibhor builds Burros and his software controls them. He develops many of the computer-vision approaches to localization and autonomy at Augean Robotics. Prior to Augean, Vibhor worked as a researcher at Lehigh’s Vader Labs where he specialized in accurate infrastructure free outdoor localization, and as a software engineer at Samsung. He received an M.E.E from Lehigh University, and a B.S. Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering from Manav Rachna International University in Faridabad, India.
Ryan Clifford, SVP of Revenue
Ryan Clifford leads the Revenue team at Burro, which consists of Sales, Customer Success, Revenue Operations, and Marketing. He is most recently a veteran of two venture-funded Silicon Valley robotics startups, backed by the likes of Bessemer Venture Partners, Shasta Ventures, SoftBank, and TransLink Capital. One of which – Fetch Robotics – was acquired by Zebra Technologies for over $300M in 2021. He’s spent his entire career bringing emerging hardware-enabled tech solutions to market in decades-old industrial customer verticals. Since 2018, he’s worked specifically on solving the global labor shortage with the adoption of mobile robotics technologies.
In his free time, Ryan enjoys coaching youth sports, snowboarding, paddle boarding, and traveling with his wife and two boys.
Sales + Customer Success
Chris Thiesen
Chris leads our sales and support efforts in California. He grew up on his family farm in the San Joaquin Valley, where he experienced from an early age the challenges and opportunities around using and implementing new technologies on a farm. He joined our team after working for Brandt Farms, a leading grower, packer, and shipper of table grapes, stone fruit, citrus, and persimmons in and around Reedley, CA. At Brandt, he managed ranch operations at various levels, and worked implementing various early ag technologies such as multi-spectral imaging, soil mapping, and variable rate fertility applications. From this, he has a real world understanding of technology that does what it is sold as doing and works reliably in the field. Chris and his wife Kasey have three kids (who love robots), and are heavily invested in their community.
Dan Wiechec
Dan is the Strategic Sales and Marketing Operations Manager at Burro. Prior to joining Burro, He spent over 14 years in the power plant maintenance and repair sector for Siemens Energy and other companies in various roles including sales, marketing, business development, and commercial operations in the US, Australia, Thailand, and Poland. Dan received his degree in International Business from Dickinson College.
Ryan Willcott
Ryan spearheads business development for Burro in the Central US, bringing the perspective of a fourth-generation Kansas farmer and amateur machine tinkerer. His journey spans diverse industries, from oil and gas to innovative greenhouse design and construction across North America.
While pursuing his business degree at Kansas State University, Ryan engaged in a startup incubator where he developed dynamic pricing models for the fast-casual dining sector. He translated this entrepreneurial spirit into real-world impact by partnering with Uber Eats for its Texas launch and creating aquaponic growing systems for school classrooms and “farm-to-table” lunch programs. Recognizing the pressing need for innovative growing solutions, Ryan pivoted his career to focus on empowering growers through advanced greenhouse technologies and expansions.
When he’s not testing Burro robots or wrangling his three hunting dogs on the farm, you’ll find Ryan whipping up a seasonal pop-up menu from his vintage 1956 Airstream or tailgating at Chiefs games.
Nick Byrne
Nick Byrne leads the Customer Success team at Burro. He joins the Burro team after specializing in deploying teleoperation and autonomous solutions for industrial vehicles and warehouse automation projects. With a background in a Silicon Valley robotic startup, he has collaborated with top venture firms and driven innovation in industrial automation. At Phantom Auto, Nick managed strategic accounts, oversaw significant investments, and led cross-functional teams in developing customer-centric solutions. He has previously held key roles at Symbotic, where he deployed automated warehouse solutions for tier 1 customers like Wal-Mart and Albertsons.
In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his wife outdoors, kayaking, fishing, and golfing on weekends.
Orvil Tarango
Customer Success Account Manager
Orvil Tarango
Orvil joins from Austin, Texas! His father a construction worker, and mother a housekeeper, Orvil was taught early on by his parents to work smart not hard, pushing him to achieve a college education. He graduated from the University of North Texas with a Bachelors of Business in Marketing, with a minor in Psychology. Orvil has dedicated his career to client solutions through a variety of industries, including robotics, where he found a passion helping people in the hospitality industry, doing the dirty work few others would do. Orvil joins the Burro team to expand on his mission, saving the arduous work for our relentless Burro herd to conquer!
When he’s not at work, he’s trying out a new food spot, park, or trail with his wife and daughter, taking a spirited drive through windy lakeside roads.
Noe Toribio
Noe Toribio grew up in Fresno, California where he was immersed in robotics and agriculture as he participated in robotics competitions in high school and worked in the local industry, including spending time working in farm fields. He attended California State University, Fresno where he got his Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology as he simultaneously worked on projects at the intersection of robotics and agriculture.
Daniel Valladolid
Daniel was born in Mexico, and immigrated to Delano, California when he was 10. He began working for Sunview Vineyards at the age of 15, where he experienced most of the jobs performed in table grape production firsthand, while also working on special projects including integrating geographic information systems, implementing drone mapping, and trials with ants. He attended California State Bakersfield where he obtained his B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in accounting, and joined the Burro team to make a difference in the community that surrounds him.
Josue Ortega
Josue grew up in Fresno, California, the son of extremely hardworking Mexican immigrant parents. Through his parents’ determination to provide their family with better opportunities Josue developed a strong interest in technology and education. This led him to obtain a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering from UC Davis in 2015, and to work in education, teaching chemistry at Fresno High School. He continued working in education while simultaneously obtaining his M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Fresno State in 2019. Today, Josue works at the intersection of education and technology, teaching crews how to use Burros and problem solving any issues to ensure our customers have an exceptional experience.
Operations
Tom McGarrigle
Tom leads the supply chain function at Burro, including procuring raw materials across our network of contract manufacturers and suppliers, owning the material cost across the product portfolio, and optimizing on hand inventory. Prior to joining Burro, Tom led the CPE supply plan at Comcast where he was responsible for all parts and inventory availability to support the production and shipping plan while achieving cost objectives. Tom also developed requirements to create and enhance enterprise resource planning applications and tools. Tom received his B.S in Business Management from Bucknell University where he ran on the Track and Field team.
Ylan Phan
Ylan is a Strategy and Operations Associate at Burro helping to facilitate and oversee manufacturing, create operational procedures, analyze field data to drive product reliability improvements, and increase customer value. She attended the University of Pittsburgh receiving an Industrial Engineering degree with a minor in Economics and a Certificate in Product Design, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship. In her free time, Ylan loves to play tennis, watch movies, and experiment with different art forms.
Pranav Arum Kumar
Pranav is a robot support engineer at Burro, tasked with maintaining a high level of customer satisfaction while maximizing uptime and reliability. Before working at Burro, Pranav worked on autonomous low-lift and tuggers as a robot support engineer. Pranav received his M.S. degree from Texas A&M University in the field of mechanical engineering and a specialization in control systems. Outside of his work supporting robots, he enjoys tinkering with his 3D printer, gaming and reading novels.
Rachel Guhathakurta
Rachel Guhathakurta is a Burro Intern. In her role, she is leading the development of an internal e-commerce platform for spare parts. She is a rising sophomore at the University of Pennsylvania, pursuing degrees in Finance and Computer Science. Outside of work and academics, Rachel is an avid volleyball player and an active member of her dual degree program’s social committee, where she aims to foster a strong sense of community among the cohort.
Prithvi Dev K V
Prithvi is a Senior Robot Support Engineer here at Burro. In this role, Prithvi’s goal is to provide Burro’s customers with an excellent experience by helping to improve machine up-time and tracking fleet performance and reliability. Prior to working at Burro, he was a Research Assistant at NYU AI4CE Lab where he led the development of real-time localization using UWB technology. Prithvi’s diverse experience includes managing projects at Adani Total Gas Ltd and interning at Daimler and CNH Industrial. Prithvi received his M.S. in Mechatronics & Robotics at New York University and B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering from Vellore Institute of Technology, India. In his free time, Prithvi’s hobbies are gaming and playing football.
Jesus Medina
Jesus is a Robot Support Engineer at Burro. In his role, he builds infrastructure to help dealers and technicians perform maintenance and repairs. This includes creating technical documentation, providing training, managing spare parts, and analyzing hardware failures. Jesus also coordinates repairs for California customers and supports non-California customers in completing their own repairs. A proud native of California’s Central Valley, Jesus earned a BS in Industrial Technology from California State University, Fresno. With a background in technology within the California agriculture industry, Jesus has extensive experience helping growers implement advanced technology solutions in their operations. Outside of work, Jesus enjoys spending time hiking outdoors, working on home renovations, and playing tug-of-war with his dogs.
People + Finance
Miki Pozzuolo
Miki is part of Burro’s G&A team and leads its day-to-day accounting operations. Prior to joining Burro, Miki gained extensive experience in Big Four public accounting and private industry including two successful start-ups in the SaaS and robotics space.
Miki received her Master of Accountancy from Temple University’s Fox School of Business and a B.S. in broadcast journalism from Boston University. She is a Certified Public Accountant with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
For fun, Miki enjoys running, reading, and spending time with her husband and two boys.
Product
Rohan Kamath
Rohan is a Product Manager at Burro, where he focuses on developing solutions to optimize operations in nurseries. Prior to Burro, he led product initiatives at Plus One Robotics, specializing in web platforms and solutions for warehouse automation. With a strong foundation in product design, Rohan combines technical expertise with a user-centered approach to product development. He holds a Master’s in Human-Computer Interaction from Indiana University and a Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering. In his free time, Rohan enjoys working on cars, 3D printing, and managing home servers.
Aaron Monro
Aaron is a product designer at Burro, where he focuses on creating intuitive and impactful product experiences that enhance customers’ day-to-day operations and lives. Prior to joining Burro, Aaron led product design at a pre-seed delivery-focused startup, where he helped shape their product offerings. He also has extensive experience consulting with various partners, helping them elevate their product experiences through a user-centered, outcome-driven design process.Aaron earned his B.S. in Graphic Design with a minor in UX Design and Marketing from Drexel University. Before embarking on his design career, he served in the Marine Corps as a Platoon Communication Chief for four years. Outside of work, Aaron enjoys biking, running, attending concerts, and spending time with his dogs.
Ryan Taggart
Ryan Taggart is a User Acceptance Testing Specialist with Burro based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Ryan is an Air Force veteran and Universal Technical Institute and the Technical College of the Air Force graduate that has worked on cutting edge technology since he was a crew chief on F-22 Raptors. Ryan has continued with being involved on high speed, automated manufacturing; high output, autonomous, wireless charging of electric vehicles in mass transit; to becoming the lead tester of autonomous farming robots. Traveling and being outdoors has always been a passion of Ryan’s and he may be found hiking around Patagonia, the Cascades of Washington, Pike’s Peak or anywhere around the Appalachian Trail or Green Mountain Trail. Pets are another passion and Pluto, Otto, Zelda (mini dachshunds) and a cat named Toothless can usually be found going on walks and bike rides with their dad. With his vast experience in different applications, Ryan is able to quickly identify deficiencies and implement corrective actions effectively.
Engineering
Mona Gridseth
Mona is a Director, Engineering, Simultaneous Localization and Mapping at Burro, where she focuses on robot localization and mapping. Before joining Burro, she worked as a software developer at Quandl Inc. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies, where her research centered on long-term visual localization. Mona also completed an M.S. in Computing Science at the University of Alberta and a B.S. in Computer Science at the University of Toronto.
Shreshtha Basu
Shreshtha is a Senior Manager, Perception, Planning, and Controls at Burro. She builds motion planning and perception algorithms that leverage computer vision and AI, enabling Burros to better understand, travel through, and manipulate their environments. Prior to joining Burro, she developed pick and place applications using robot manipulators and perception features for autonomous vehicles for Wipro Limited, and held engineering roles with Refraction AI and Honda. She received her Masters Degree in Robotics from University of Michigan, and her B.E. in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from R.V. College of Engineering in Bangalore. Outside of work, she enjoys cooking, playing basket ball and singing with her guitar.
Ron Brown, Jr.
Ron leads the integration team at Burro, bringing his experience and enthusiasm to all aspects of the software development lifecycle. Prior to working at Burro, Ron spent the last 20 years bringing new and innovative medical imaging devices and computer-controlled scientific instruments to market. He obtained his B.S. in Computer and Information Science from Temple University, where he discovered his love for teaching and mentoring. Ron enjoys spending time with his wife and three boys, making projects such as 3D printing, electronics, and woodworking, and wondering if this is finally the year that our Philadelphia Phillies will make it back to the postseason.
Dinesh Thakur
Dinesh, a Senior Staff Robotics Engineer at Burro, is leading the software architecture. Leveraging over 15 years of experience in robotics, from academic research on various platforms (drones, ground robots, manipulators) to leading industry projects, Dinesh brings a unique blend of research and practical expertise. His passion for innovation is evident in his 2 patents and over 30 research papers. Outside of work, Dinesh enjoys exploring new cities by bike, motorcycle adventures, capturing moments through photography, and social dancing (Salsa, Bachata, and Tango).
Ian Miller
Ian works on Burro’s sensors and processing data from them, making sure that Burro’s brain has the information it needs to make good decisions. Previously, he worked at the GRASP lab at UPenn on teams of robots in the air and on the ground, building algorithms to get them to collaborate. He double majored in Electrical and Computer Engineering and Physics at Lafayette College, received an MS in Robotics from UPenn, and is working towards a PhD in Electrical and Systems Engineering at UPenn as well. When he isn’t wrangling robots, he can often be found reading SF and Fantasy novels, playing board games, or riding a tandem bike with his wife!
Craig Miller
Craig is developing Burro’s robotic simulation and integration testing capabilities. Prior to Burro, Craig has spent over eight years developing robotic and autonomous systems at Triton Systems, designing electromechanical hardware at Princetel, and integrating complex, multidisciplinary systems at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. Craig holds an M.S. in Robotics Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) and a B.S.M.E. from Temple University. His graduate studies included coursework in robotic control systems, advanced robot navigation, and deep learning for robot perception. Craig worked with WPI’s Manipulation and Environmental Robotics (MER) Lab to implement vision-based key insertion algorithms for robotic manipulators.
Salim Zair
After completing a Ph.D. thesis at Université Paris-Saclay on data localization and fusion, Salim joined Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi to work on ADAS and autonomous driving topics for L2 and L3 projects. Salim worked on the major parts of the algorithmic stack of the multi-sensor data fusion software component for five years, primarily vehicle dynamic estimation and object tracking for active emergency braking and adaptive cruise control. He also successfully led a team of eight people for two years in the development of a Lidar point cloud algorithmic stack using deep learning for a level three autonomous driving project. Salim is happy to be part of the Burro team, helping tackle new challenges around autonomous robots. He is passionate about resolving real-world issues that have a significant impact on people.
Chun Chang
Chun is a Robotics Software Engineer at Burro, currently focusing his work on dexterity. His goal is to help automate tedious work, and is doing so by helping to improve the autonomy in our technology stack. Prior to Burro, Chun was a research assistant at the GRASP lab and had robotics software internships at iRobot and Humatics. Chun obtained his M.S in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania, and considers himself a curious, lifelong learner with a passion for robotics.
Angel Robles
Angel supports development of new autonomous functions and capabilities in the field, and also supports customers currently using Burros. Prior to joining the company, Angel held a variety of roles ranging from bussing tables to working in a materials testing lab and programming microcontrollers. Angel grew up in Bakersfield, where he attended Bakersfield College before transferring to UC Berkeley to earn his B.S. and M.S. in Mechanical Engineering. He joined Burro to gain more exposure into the field of AI/robotics while simultaneously helping make an impact on the type of community he grew up around. His main academic interests include machine learning, control theory, and simulation.
Chao Wan
Chao designs and develops the electrical and embedded systems of Burro. Prior to working at Augean, Chao obtained his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, and Ph.D. Minor in Electrical Engineering at North Carolina State University where his research focused on developing wireless sensor systems and computer vision based systems for structural health monitoring. Chao also worked as a research assistant in the Robotics and Automation Laboratory at Tsinghua University in China where he developed a high-speed wafer transfer robotic system. Chao received his B.S. in Automation Engineering from Beijing Institute of Technology, China.
Ahmed “Safy” Elsafy
Safy graduated with a M.Sc. degree in artificial intelligence and robotics from University of La Sapienza in Rome, Italy, where he focused his studies on robot localization and mapping, computer vision and neural networks. His work experience is in developing autonomous drones and ground robots for agriculture and environmental assessment solutions. Safy enjoys surfing, kayaking, snowboarding and being out in nature.
Logan Danek
Logan is one of our passionate Staff Software Engineer working on user interface and experience as well as software architecture. Before working at Burro, Logan worked in software architecture internships and conducted research at Northwestern University investigating IoT device privacy, energy harvesting, and brain-computer interface design. Logan received his B.S. in Computer Engineering and Neuroscience from Northwestern University and is completing his Master’s degree in Computer Engineering at Northwestern, with a thesis on the analysis of modern neural sensing technology for use in consumer applications. Outside of work, Logan enjoys cooking, music, and spending time with his two cats, Pepita and Pringles.
Meghna Gummadi
Meghna works on ensuring that Burro remains intelligent by understanding and introspecting all that it perceives, to make good and safe autonomy decisions. She has a Master’s in Robotics Engineering from UPenn and is working towards wrapping up her PhD in Computer Science at UPenn as well. Meghna has been a part of the Burro in previous years; as a Robotics Engineering in 2018 and then again as Deep Learning Intern in 2022. She has also had prior tenures at Cessna and Indian Institute of Science. When not working on Burro’s intelligence, you can find her in the woods, running or climbing some good crags and mountains.
Sarah Allen
Sarah Allen is a Senior Software Engineer on the Robotics Infrastructure Team, creating tools to improve robot health monitoring and system testing. Prior to joining Burro, Sarah worked at Exyn Technologies as a Robotics Software Engineer on similar projects. She received her Master of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering at Cornell University and her B.S.E. at the University of Pennsylvania. In her spare time, Sarah helps to run the Philadelphia Riichi Mahjong Club.
Gabriel Smith
Gabriel Smith is a software engineer at Burro, tasked with the challenge of maintaining and refining our ever-growing full stack codebase. Prior to joining Burro, Gabe worked on the development of Ver – a patent-pending computer vision based VR software stack for strabismus therapy, and also taught Python to middle schoolers. Gabriel received a B.S. in Computer Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania. Outside of tinkering with robots and developing software, he enjoys watching baseball, building Lego vehicles and buildings and reading books by authors like J. R. Tolkien and Brandon Sanderson.
Victoria Florence
Victoria is a Senior Robotics Software Engineer at Burro and works on perception systems. Prior to joining the company, Victoria worked as a robotics software engineer at CreateMe Technologies. She received a M.S. in Robotics from the University of Michigan, where she focused on computer vision for robotics, and a B.S. in computer engineering from The University of Tennessee. During her studies, she held internships at Amazon Robotics, Garmin International, and the Boeing Company.
Paul Jones
Staff Software Engineer
Paul Jones
Paul is a Staff Software Engineer at Burro and works on tools that help manage Burros and their data. Prior to joining Burro, Paul worked as a freelance developer on projects including mobile ordering for small merchants to audio plugins for music production. Outside of working hours, you can find Paul at coffee shops and enjoying live music.
Alexa Aulicino
Alexa is a Mechanical Engineer on the hardware team at Burro. She holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Rowan University. Prior to Burro, she worked in the aerospace sector working on deployable high strain composites. She brings with her experience in material science, manufacturing, and DFx design principles. Alexa strives to be a lifelong learner who can be found out of the office 3D printing or spending time in nature.
Matt Elser
Matt works on the backend systems that keep Burros operating at their best. Before joining Burro he spent several years working on infrastructure for distributed systems at Pixar where he helped to manage, maintain, and improve their render farm. Matt grew up in the Philadelphia area, and completed a Masters of Engineering program in Computer Science at the University of Pennsylvania, which is where he was introduced to the wonderful world of robotics. In his spare time, Matt enjoys climbing, woodworking, building electronics, and caring for his two moderately well-behaved dogs.
Debo Liang
Debo works on developing backend systems to support robot operations and enhance developer experiences. During his master’s program in mechanical engineering at the University of Washington, Seattle, he worked on computer vision projects in the Information Processing Lab and developed a pose estimation iOS app for a startup. Prior to joining Burro, Debo created a WebRTC application during the 2020 Google Hackathon, developed an Android app for researchers, and worked as a test engineer at Quanta Computer. Outside of engineering, Debo enjoys outdoor activities like climbing and traveling.
Amro Dewedar
Amro contributes to testing, troubleshooting, and designing improvements for the electrical and embedded systems at Burro. Amro graduated from Rutgers University with a B.S. in Computer Science and is currently pursuing an M.S. in Electrical Engineering. Prior to Burro, Amro worked as an embedded engineer developing and testing Fiber-Optics communication systems and Avionics systems. In his free-time, Amro enjoys attending concerts, being outdoors, watching movies, and playing sports.
Edward Polkowski
Ed supports the electrical and embedded systems in the Burro products. Ed started his career in the semiconductor industry at IBM Microelectronics where he designed motion controllers, sensor systems and embedded machine control software for process equipment. He transitioned to project management of multi-million dollar equipment development projects in the areas of photolithography and laser ablation. Ed was fortunate to be chosen by IBM for a full-time scholar program where he attended Stevens Institute to obtain his PhD focused on position referencing for autonomous mobile robots.
Moving on, Ed worked for Research Devices Inc. and Robotic Vision System Inc. in leadership positions before founding his first startup, Westar Photonics, developing laser ablation technology. Over the ensuing years, he joined a number of startups in the areas of hydrogen fueling, wind energy, optical telecom device inspection, medical intra-ocular lens inspection, and medical device development.
Ed has a BSEE and MSEE from New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) and a PhD in electrical engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology.
Advisors
Camillo J. Taylor
Senior Autonomy Advisor
Camillo J. Taylor
Camillo J. Taylor is currently the Raymond S. Markowitz President’s Distinguished Professor with the Computer and Information Science Department and GRASP Laboratory at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Taylor received his A.B. degree in Electrical Computer and Systems Engineering from Harvard College in 1988 and his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from Yale University in 1990 and 1994 respectively. Dr. Taylor was the Jamaica Scholar in 1984, a member of the Harvard chapter of Phi Beta Kappa and held a Harvard College Scholarship from 1986-1988. From 1994 to 1997 Dr. Taylor was a postdoctoral researcher and lecturer with the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the University of California, Berkeley. He joined the faculty of the Computer and Information Science Department at the University of Pennsylvania in September 1997. Dr Taylor’s research interests lie primarily in the fields of Computer Vision and Robotics and include: reconstruction of 3D models from images, vision-guided robot navigation and scene understanding. Dr. Taylor has served as an Associate Editor of the IEEE Transactions of Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence. He has also served on numerous conference organizing committees and is a General Chair of the International Conference on Computer Vision (ICCV) 2021. He was a Program Chair of the 2006 and 2017 editions of the IEEE Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition and of the 2013 edition of 3DV. In 2012 he was awarded the Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Foundation Award for Distinguished Teaching at the University of Pennsylvania.
Terry Scott
Terry Scott is one of Burro’s co-founders. Prior to helping found Burro, Terry worked as a robotic software developer with COSY and as a design engineer and project manager with a large manufacturer supplying African railroads. Terry received his Ph.D. from University of Oxford’s Robotic Institute where his research focused on computer-vision-based autonomous navigation and mapping, and a BSc (B.S.) in Electro-Mechanical Engineering from University of Capetown. He grew up in South Africa where he gained a love for machinery and robotics.
Rohit Arora
Advisor
Rohit Arora
Rohit serves as an Advisor to Burro. Rohit has lead product and engineering in the self-driving vehicle industry including at Cruise and Waymo, and building warehousing robots at Google X. He received his BTech from Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, and an MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.