We are thrilled to welcome Sidd Srinivasa to Madrona as a venture partner. Sidd is a world-renowned researcher and entrepreneur in robotics and AI, and we could not be more excited to collaborate with him as we continue to support founders building the next generation of deep tech innovation.
A Distinguished Research Career
Sidd currently serves as a professor of computer science and engineering at the University of Washington, where he leads the Personal Robotics Lab. He will continue in this role while also working with Madrona, ensuring that his groundbreaking academic research stays closely connected to the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Prior to UW, he was a faculty member at Carnegie Mellon University, where he founded and directed the Personal Robotics Lab at the Robotics Institute. His pioneering academic work spans robotic manipulation, human-robot interaction, and embodied AI, laying the foundation for how robots can perceive, plan, and act in the real world.
Throughout his career, Sidd has trained and mentored countless students who have gone on to shape the robotics and AI fields. His leadership of cutting-edge labs at two of the world’s foremost robotics institutions demonstrates his unique ability to bridge fundamental research with real-world impact.
Industry Experience and Entrepreneurship
In addition to his academic leadership, Sidd has spent time in industry, bringing research to life at scale. For the last 2+ years, he was a distinguished engineer at Cruise, where he was hands-on building advanced self-driving technology. Prior, Sidd spent 4+ years at Amazon leading robotics engineering efforts for Amazon fulfillment centers. Earlier in his career, Sidd co-founded Berkshire Grey, a company that leverages intelligent robotics to automate supply chain operations, an experience that gives him a firsthand perspective on starting and scaling deep tech companies. Berkshire Grey raised over $250M from top VCs Khosla, NEA, and Canaan and went public in 2021.
Beyond these roles, Sidd has been deeply engaged with the startup ecosystem, advising and collaborating with early-stage founders. He serves on the boards of several early-stage startups founded by his former students, including Zordi. His blend of academic depth, industry know-how, and entrepreneurial spirit makes him uniquely positioned to help both Madrona and our portfolio companies succeed.
Partnering for the Future of Robotics and AI
At Madrona, Sidd will help us shape investment themes and evaluate investment opportunities around deep tech, with a focus on robotics, embodied AI, and advanced AI-based companies. Robotics is not a new trend, but it is at a powerful inflection point accelerated by advances in machine learning, sensors, and computing infrastructure. The Pacific Northwest has long been a hub for innovation, and we see a massive opportunity to build the next generation of robotics and AI companies here and beyond.
Importantly, Sidd will also help us continue to deepen Madrona’s ties with UW, expanding opportunities for collaboration with faculty and students and strengthening the bridge between world-class research and company building in the Pacific Northwest.
Sidd will not only help us identify and evaluate new investments, but he will also work closely with our portfolio founders, advising on technology strategy, product development, and scaling challenges, while drawing on his wealth of experiences across academia, startups, and large-scale industry.
Continuing Madrona’s Deep Tech Commitment
Madrona has always believed in backing deep tech founders at the earliest stages, from day one for the long run, including companies such as Impinj, Echodyne, and OctoAI. Our investments in areas like cloud infrastructure, AI/ML platforms, and advanced computing are complemented by a growing focus on robotics and embodied intelligence. With Sidd joining us, we are doubling down on this vision.
Looking Ahead
Robotics founders are building world-changing products in a period of unprecedented technical opportunity, and with Sidd joining us, we are even better equipped to work with and support them as they create robotics solutions that were never before possible. Together, we aim to support world-class founders who are building companies at the frontier of robotics and AI; companies that will transform industries and change the way we live and work.
If you are building in any of these areas, you can reach out to Sidd at [email protected].
Please join us in welcoming Sidd to the Madrona team!
Related Insights
