Rodney Brooks
InvestorFounderObvious Champion at Obvious Ventures · Founder at Robust AI
San Francisco, California, United States
FoundedRobust AI
About
Rodney Brooks has cofounded six companies, including iRobot (maker of the Roomba), Rethink Robotics, and Robust.AI, where the team builds collaborative mobile robots for warehouses and manufacturing. He completed a Master's thesis on machine learning in Australia (1977) and a PhD on computer vision at Stanford (1981), and while on the MIT faculty developed behavior-based robot control. He directed the MIT Artificial Intelligence Lab from 1997 to 2007 and was the founding director of MIT CSAIL.
Invests in
AI & Machine LearningRobotics
Founder at Robust AI
Intro paths
In turn, Rodney can intro founders to Robust AI's investors below.
Robust AI's investors · 8
Co-founders at Robust AI


Experience
- Robust.AICTO & Foundercurrent2019 — presentPalo Alto, California
- Rethink RoboticsCTO, Chairman, Founder2008 — 2018
- iRobotCo-founder, CTO, Board member1990 — 2011
- MITPanasonic Professor of Robotics1984 — 2010
- LucidCo-founder, Compiler hacker/architect1984 — 1992Menlo Park, CA
- Stanford UniversityAssistant Professor1983 — 1984
- MITResearch Scientist1981 — 1983
- Carnegie Mellon UniversityResearch Scientist1981
Skills & more
From Rodney's professional profile.
Colleagues at Obvious Ventures
Frequently asked questions
- Who is Rodney Brooks?
- Rodney Brooks has cofounded six companies, including iRobot (maker of the Roomba), Rethink Robotics, and Robust.AI, where the team builds collaborative mobile robots for warehouses and manufacturing. He completed a Master's thesis on machine learning in Australia (1977) and a PhD on computer vision at Stanford (1981), and while on the MIT faculty developed behavior-based robot control. He directed the MIT Artificial Intelligence Lab from 1997 to 2007 and was the founding director of MIT CSAIL.
- Where does Rodney Brooks work?
- Rodney Brooks is Founder of Robust AI and Obvious Champion at Obvious Ventures.
- What does Rodney Brooks invest in?
- Rodney Brooks invests in AI & Machine Learning, Robotics.
- What companies did Rodney Brooks found?
- Rodney Brooks founded Robust AI.
- Where did Rodney Brooks go to school?
- Rodney Brooks studied at Stanford University (Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Computer Science); Flinders University (B.Sc. (Hons), M.Sc.).
Founder mafias
Stanford University mafia903
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
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Carnegie Mellon University mafia231
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
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Obvious Ventures mafia7
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
iRobot mafia6
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Flinders University mafia3
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Same school
Also attended Stanford University2,000
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Also attended Flinders University8
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Shared employers
Also worked at Robust.AI2
Also worked at iRobot11
+ 5 more
Also worked at MIT479
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Also worked at Stanford University722
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