Where does Andrea L. Thomaz work?

Andrea L. Thomaz is Founder of Diligent Robotics.

What companies did Andrea L. Thomaz found?

Andrea L. Thomaz founded Diligent Robotics.

Where did Andrea L. Thomaz go to school?

Andrea L. Thomaz studied at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Ph.D., Media Arts & Sciences); Massachusetts Institute of Technology (S.M., Media Arts & Sciences); The University of Texas at Austin (B.S., Electrical and Computer Engineering).

Andrea L. Thomaz

Founder

Founder at Diligent Robotics

Austin, Texas, United States

FoundedDiligent Robotics

About

Andrea L. Thomaz is the founder and CEO of Diligent Robotics, which she started eight years ago and which was acquired by Serve Robotics (NASDAQ: SERV) in January 2026; under her leadership, the company's hospital robot Moxi was deployed across more than 25 U.S. health systems and completed over 1.25 million autonomous deliveries. She holds a Ph.D. from the MIT Media Lab and previously served as a tenured Associate Professor at UT Austin and Georgia Tech, where she led the Socially Intelligent Machines Lab, and has authored two books and more than 50 peer-reviewed papers on human-robot interaction. Her service includes roles on the U.S. President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), the National Academy of Sciences Kavli Frontiers program, and as an NSF review panelist.

Founder at Diligent Robotics

Intro paths

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In turn, Andrea can intro founders to Diligent Robotics's investors below.

Diligent Robotics's investors · 13

ATPAustin Boom Capital VenturesSan Francisco · $50K – $300K checks Canaan PartnersStamford · $500K – $20M checks Correlation VenturesSan Francisco · $100K – $4M checks DNX PARTNERSSan Mateo · since 2025 Dnx VenturesTokyo · $1M – $5M checks Grit VenturesMenlo Park · $100K – $1M checks Next Coast VenturesAustin · $2M – $4M checks Pathbreaker VenturesSan Francisco · $250K – $1M checks Plum Alley InvestmentsNew York · $500K – $1.5M checks The E14 FundCambridge · $1M – $5M checks True VenturesSan Francisco · $500K – $3M checks · since 2025 Ubiquity VenturesPalo Alto · $1M – $3M checks

Co-founders at Diligent Robotics

Andrea ThomazFounder & CEO

Vivian ChuFounder

Experience

Diligent RoboticsFounder & CEO | Acquired by Serve Robotics (NASDAQ: SERV), January 2026current2017 — presentAustin, TX
The University of Texas at AustinAssociate Professorcurrent2016 — present
Georgia Institute of TechnologyAssociate Professor2013 — 2016Greater Atlanta Area
Georgia Institute of TechnologyAssistant Professor2007 — 2013Greater Atlanta Area
Microsoft CorporationResearch Internship2003
International Business MachinesScientist/Engineer1999 — 2000

Skills & more

C++4Matlab2LaTeX1Machine Learning25Human Computer Interaction13Artificial Intelligence18Robotics10Algorithms11Research4Science2Software Engineering1Simulations5

+3 more

Computer ScienceComputer VisionProgramming

From Andrea's professional profile.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Andrea L. Thomaz?: Andrea L. Thomaz is the founder and CEO of Diligent Robotics, which she started eight years ago and which was acquired by Serve Robotics (NASDAQ: SERV) in January 2026; under her leadership, the company's hospital robot Moxi was deployed across more than 25 U.S. health systems and completed over 1.25 million autonomous deliveries. She holds a Ph.D. from the MIT Media Lab and previously served as a tenured Associate Professor at UT Austin and Georgia Tech, where she led the Socially Intelligent Machines Lab, and has authored two books and more than 50 peer-reviewed papers on human-robot interaction. Her service includes roles on the U.S. President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), the National Academy of Sciences Kavli Frontiers program, and as an NSF review panelist.
Where does Andrea L. Thomaz work?: Andrea L. Thomaz is Founder of Diligent Robotics.
What companies did Andrea L. Thomaz found?: Andrea L. Thomaz founded Diligent Robotics.
Where did Andrea L. Thomaz go to school?: Andrea L. Thomaz studied at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Ph.D., Media Arts & Sciences); Massachusetts Institute of Technology (S.M., Media Arts & Sciences); The University of Texas at Austin (B.S., Electrical and Computer Engineering).

Founder mafias

Massachusetts Institute of Technology mafia771

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Elad GilPhDFounded Brain Co.Hemant TanejaS.B.Founded Hippocratic AI Nat FriedmanBachelor of ScienceFounded Xamarin Brad FeldS.B.Founded Techstars Matt HuangB.S.Founded Hotspots Delian AsparouhovDropoutFounded Nightingale +1

+ 764 more

The University of Texas at Austin mafia187

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Michael DellFounded Force10 Philip KrimMinorFounded Electron X +2 Michael GortonPhysics & Engineering w minor in EnglishFounded Principal Solar +2 Michael RoyzenBachelor of Science - BSFounded Smartlens +2 Amar SawhneyM.S. and PhDFounded Access Closure +2 Joah SpearmanBachelor of Science - BSFounded SXSW +2

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Same school

Also attended Massachusetts Institute of Technology1,556

Fred WilsonCo-founder & Partner at Union Square Ventures Elad GilSolo general partner investing through Gil Capital Aileen LeeFounder & Managing Partner of Cowboy Ventures Hemant TanejaCEO & Managing Director of General Catalyst Nat FriedmanCo-lead of Meta Superintelligence Labs; co-founder of NFDG Brad FeldCo-founder of Foundry and Techstars

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Also attended The University of Texas at Austin485

Michael DellFounder & CEO of Dell Technologies Viswa SankaranarayananVenture Partner at Monta Vista Capital Todd KleinManaging Partner, Revolution Growth at Revolution Sapna MehtaInvestor at Revolution Anish AggarwalInvestor at Lightbank Andrew ScottSenior Finance Manager at Greycroft

+ 479 more

Shared employers

Also worked at Diligent Robotics7

Avantika DaingFounding Partner at Plum Alley Investments Sunil NagarajFounder and Managing Partner at Ubiquity Ventures Laurie Felker JonesVisiting Partner at True Wealth Ventures Celestine SchnuggFounder at Boom Capital Ventures Rich BoyleInvestor at Canaan Partners Q MotiwalaInvestor at Dnx Ventures

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Also worked at The University of Texas at Austin91

Viswa SankaranarayananVenture Partner at Monta Vista Capital DougAdvisor at Clear Ventures Monica SolizDirector, Marketing at Sapphire Ventures Andrew WilsonPartner, Legal at Lux Capital Zaz FloreaniVenture Partner at FirstMile Ventures Lorenzo ThioneGeneral Partner at Gaingels

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Also worked at Georgia Institute of Technology87

Brando De CourtenData Engineer at P101 Ventures Blake PattonFounder & Managing Partner at Tech Square Ventures Michael MeallingGeneral Partner at Starbridge Venture Capital Llc Lily JooVenture Partner at VentureFriends Nesara S RInvestment Analyst at A91 Partners Fiona FernandezInvestor at Syncona

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Also worked at Microsoft Corporation1,354

Reid HoffmanCo-founder of LinkedIn; Partner at Greylock Garry TanPresident & CEO of Y Combinator Nat FriedmanCo-lead of Meta Superintelligence Labs; co-founder of NFDG Kai-Fu LeeChairman of Sinovation Ventures and CEO of 01.AI Bill GatesCo-founder of Microsoft; Chair of the Gates Foundation Mike KriegerCo-founder of Instagram; Chief Product Officer at Anthropic

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