Drone Company CyPhy Works Shakes Up Management in Effort to Accelerate Lift Off

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Lance Vanden Brook

Current CEO and founder Helen Greiner will now be the firm’s CTO. Brook comes to CyPhy from Pilot Thomas Logistics where he served as the senior vice president of their Energy and Industrial Group. Prior to that he was at Kiva Systems, a provider of fulfillment center automation using mobile robots and control software, where he is credited with driving substantial growth. Another Kiva Systems veteran is also joining CyPhy . Former president and chief operating officer (COO) of Kiva Systems, Amy Villeneuve, will assume the role of chairman of the CyPhy Works Board, effective immediately.

Helen Greiner, CyPhy Works founder and now CTO said, “Lance is an accomplished leader, with a background in both robotics, and the oil and gas industry. I am excited for the future of CyPhy Works as we enter a growth phase.”

Ms. Grenier has a strong technology pedigree. She studied at MIT and afterwards founded iRobot (NASDAQ: IRBT) which launched the Roomba, a robot vacuum for the home. She left the firm in 2008 and founded CyPhy in Danvers, MA.

CyPhy has received investments of close to $35 million from Bessemer Venture Partners, Draper Nexus Ventures and Felecis Ventres among others.

CyPhy Pocket Flyer

Their customers are largely in the security space. The U.S.Army is a major customer. They have two drones; the PARC as in Persistent Aerial Reconnaissance and Communications, and and the Pocket Flyer, a drone small enough to put in a cargo pocket ( approx 7″ x 7″).

Mr. Vanden Brook’s joining the company will insert a heavy weight sales executive who will look to leverage CyPhy’s technology into commercial markets.

“The opportunity CyPhy Works has to offer proprietary technology that solves real problems in an exploding commercial market is incredible,” said Vanden Brook. “I’m excited to partner with Helen as we accelerate the company’s plans for commercial traction and sales in this fast growing and highly competitive market.”

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