{ "version": "https://jsonfeed.org/version/1", "title": "Rob Brown", "description": "", "home_page_url": "https://robbrown.org", "feed_url": "https://robbrown.org/feed.json", "user_comment": "", "author": { "name": "Rob Brown" }, "items": [ { "id": "https://robbrown.org/about-rob/", "url": "https://robbrown.org/about-rob/", "title": "About Rob", "summary": "I turn 'it works in the lab' into 'it performs real work'. For the past 16+ years I have helped physical AI companies through the hardest transition they will face: R&D→real deployable product → scale.", "content_html": "

I turn 'it works in the lab' into 'it performs real work'.

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For the past 16+ years I have helped physical AI companies through the hardest transition they will face: R&D→real deployable product → scale.

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Where I'm most useful: startups that need a generalist who is creative, deeply technical, and able to sit with a customer and get to the heart of what they actually need. Then I roll up my sleeves, work shoulder to shoulder with the engineers, and get it shipped.

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Where I'm not the right fit: roles that are mostly about directing from a distance, where leadership means pushing timelines from behind a desk rather than being in the work. I lead from inside the team, not above it.

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How I lead: Low ego. I teach rather than dictate, because a team trusted with responsibility outperforms one that just follows orders. I do the work alongside my team. What motivates me most is finding people opportunities to grow and making sure they get recognized for it.

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Outside Work

\n", "image": "https://robbrown.org/media/posts/9/20240203_20240203_153818-VSCO-2xl-2.jpg", "author": { "name": "Rob Brown" }, "tags": [ ], "date_published": "2026-09-20T00:00:00-04:00", "date_modified": "2026-09-26T14:58:05-04:00" }, { "id": "https://robbrown.org/kodiak-ai/", "url": "https://robbrown.org/kodiak-ai/", "title": "Kodiak AI", "summary": "As Head of Product at Kodiak, I helped build and launch the world's first driverless commercial trucking fleet, now running 24/7 in the Permian Basin. I am currently leading Product for Kodiak Defense, applying that…", "content_html": "

As Head of Product at Kodiak, I helped build and launch the world's first driverless commercial trucking fleet, now running 24/7 in the Permian Basin. I am currently leading Product for Kodiak Defense, applying that same autonomy stack to ground autonomy programs for the US Army, US Marines, and NATO. I help build and nurture close partnerships with major defense primes and OEMs including Textron, GDLS, and US vehicle OEMs.

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Kodiak ‐ Head of Product, Defense 2025 - Present

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Kodiak ‐ Head of Product: Autonomous Trucking for Commercial, and Industrial 2022 - 2025

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", "image": "https://robbrown.org/media/posts/3/PXL_20250115_231927917-2.jpg", "author": { "name": "Rob Brown" }, "tags": [ ], "date_published": "2026-09-19T23:00:00-04:00", "date_modified": "2026-09-26T14:59:31-04:00" }, { "id": "https://robbrown.org/motional-aptiv-nutonomy/", "url": "https://robbrown.org/motional-aptiv-nutonomy/", "title": "Motional / Aptiv / nuTonomy", "summary": "I joined nuTonomy as its first Product Manager (around the time of its acquisition by Delphi/Aptiv) helping the R&D heavy team ship its first driverless product. As Senior Product Director at the resulting Motional, I…", "content_html": "

I joined nuTonomy as its first Product Manager (around the time of its acquisition by Delphi/Aptiv) helping the R&D heavy team ship its first driverless product. As Senior Product Director at the resulting Motional, I led product and industrial design for our first driver-out robotaxi deployment (2021), and partnered with Hyundai in South Korea to co-develop the award winning IONIQ 5 robotaxi.

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Motional - Senior Product Director: Level 4 Robotaxi and Last Mile Delivery in Las Vegas & LA 2020 – 2022

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Article: WSJ Robotaxi user experience 

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Hyundai Ioniq 5 Robotaxi
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Motional Passenger UX
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Driverless Launch 2021
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nuTonomy - Senior Product Manager: Level 4 Robotaxi (Boston, Singapore, and Las Vegas) 2018 - 2020 

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Aptiv Robotaxi with Lyft paid customers
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nuTonomy Singapore - Renault Zoe
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", "image": "https://robbrown.org/media/posts/4/nutonomy-zoe.jpg", "author": { "name": "Rob Brown" }, "tags": [ ], "date_published": "2026-09-19T22:00:00-04:00", "date_modified": "2026-09-26T15:12:53-04:00" }, { "id": "https://robbrown.org/cyphy-works/", "url": "https://robbrown.org/cyphy-works/", "title": "CyPhy Works", "summary": "CyPhy Works - Vice President of Product 2017 - 2018 I was VP of Product at CyPhy Works, building autonomous ISR drones for the US Army and Navy SOCOM: my first experience taking a defense…", "content_html": "

CyPhy Works - Vice President of Product 2017 - 2018

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I was VP of Product at CyPhy Works, building autonomous ISR drones for the US Army and Navy SOCOM: my first experience taking a defense product from R&D to fielded, wartime use.

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PARC Tethered Defense Drone
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Cyphy hexcopter delivery drone for UPS
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", "image": "https://robbrown.org/media/posts/5/20170919_13-08-34-2.jpg", "author": { "name": "Rob Brown" }, "tags": [ ], "date_published": "2026-09-19T21:00:00-04:00", "date_modified": "2026-09-26T14:59:02-04:00" }, { "id": "https://robbrown.org/kiva-systems-amazon-robotics/", "url": "https://robbrown.org/kiva-systems-amazon-robotics/", "title": "Kiva Systems / Amazon Robotics", "summary": "I was on the founding product team at Kiva Systems, building the robotic warehouse systems that Amazon acquired for $775M, which became the backbone of Amazon Robotics. I helped scale that technology across Amazon's fulfillment…", "content_html": "

I was on the founding product team at Kiva Systems, building the robotic warehouse systems that Amazon acquired for $775M, which became the backbone of Amazon Robotics. I helped scale that technology across Amazon's fulfillment network: cutting costs, deploying new robotics systems, and increasing performance (1M+ bots deployed globally today). We succeeded with a low ego, high execution team, inspired and trusted to deliver. I led a team of product managers, mechanical engineers, and TPMs.

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Product Manager, Kiva Systems (pre Amazon.com acquisition) 2010 – 2012

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Kiva System in customer warehouse - pre Amazon Acquisition
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Kiva deployment in Amazon Fulfillment Center
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Senior Technical Product Manager, Amazon Robotics 2012 – 2013

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Product / TPM, Mechanical Engineering Lead, Automation & Robotics Advanced Programs (XB-15) 2013 – 2017

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BDL1 1 million square foot DC with wall to wall automation
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BDL1 launch team, 2015
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Kiva robot in BDL1, 2015
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Amazon warehouse worker, BDL1
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", "image": "https://robbrown.org/media/posts/6/20130222_11-11-03-2.jpg", "author": { "name": "Rob Brown" }, "tags": [ ], "date_published": "2026-09-19T20:00:00-04:00", "date_modified": "2026-09-26T15:03:52-04:00" }, { "id": "https://robbrown.org/prior-roles/", "url": "https://robbrown.org/prior-roles/", "title": "GIS / Mapping Roles", "summary": "GIS Analyst, Product Manager, BT Global Access - 2002 - 2007 GIS and database modeling for commercial fiber Access pricing across 25 global countries down to street level. Competitive pricing analysis for pricing policies, working…", "content_html": "

GIS Analyst, Product Manager, BT Global Access  - 2002 - 2007

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Global City Access Postcodes
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Global access networks
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GIS Consultant, Chris Britton Consultancy / Mouchel (Civil Engineering) serving UK Highways agencies 2001-2002

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", "image": "https://robbrown.org/media/posts/7/TRLs-work-for-National-Highways_1.jpg", "author": { "name": "Rob Brown" }, "tags": [ ], "date_published": "2026-09-19T19:00:00-04:00", "date_modified": "2026-09-26T19:22:08-04:00" }, { "id": "https://robbrown.org/education/", "url": "https://robbrown.org/education/", "title": "Education", "summary": "My path into physical AI started with maps. I hold a Master's in Geographical Information Science (Distinction) from the University of Nottingham, and a BSc in Geography and Topographic Science from Swansea University. While my…", "content_html": "

My path into physical AI started with maps. I hold a Master's in Geographical Information Science (Distinction) from the University of Nottingham, and a BSc in Geography and Topographic Science from Swansea University. While my studies in the technical challenges of sensing, mapping and localization were before the time of integration into robotics, this foundation has served me well in every application of automation.

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Education:

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", "image": "https://robbrown.org/media/posts/8/20171128_20-14-25.jpg", "author": { "name": "Rob Brown" }, "tags": [ ], "date_published": "2026-09-19T18:00:00-04:00", "date_modified": "2026-09-26T14:57:54-04:00" }, { "id": "https://robbrown.org/contact-2/", "url": "https://robbrown.org/contact-2/", "title": "Contact", "summary": "Want to collaborate? Get in touch! info@robbrown.org https://www.linkedin.com/in/rbwn/", "content_html": "

Want to collaborate? Get in touch!

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info@robbrown.org

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https://www.linkedin.com/in/rbwn/

", "author": { "name": "Rob Brown" }, "tags": [ ], "date_published": "2026-09-18T17:00:00-04:00", "date_modified": "2026-09-26T12:34:16-04:00" } ] }