In 2009, I decided the time was right for me to start my first company. I did this having spent years learning about startup life and small business growth from some great mentors and colleagues. I had no idea if I would succeed, or even what the company would be doing in any great detail. I called this company "Neya", which (kind of) means "New" in Hindi. Not because I thought it was clever - but because I really wasn't entire sure what we'd be focusing on.
Fast forward, and Neya Systems has become a world leader in off-road autonomy. And I have had the pleasure of working with some of the smartest people in robotics and autonomy that I have ever met. These folks took a chance on a small startup, and through hard work and dedication, created a long lasting, self-sufficient company with an extremely bright future.
In 2017 I made the decision to sell the company in order to focus on growth. As a part of Applied Research Associates, Neya has continued to grow and prosper. I have spent the past 18 months after joining ARA leading the company and ensuring that we were well positioned to continue growing, and to deliver strong value to ARA in the short and long term.
That goal is accomplished, and Neya is the strongest and healthiest it's ever been. Therefore, this is the right time for me to start focusing on new challenges and opportunities. Effective January 1, I will be stepping down as the day-to-day leader of Neya, and will be taking on a part time role as Chief Technology Strategist. Mike Formica will be taking over my role, and will be an outstanding leader for Neya. This will allow me to focus on what I enjoy - guiding technology, and working with key customers. It also allows me to continue my involvement with Neya and ARA, which I care deeply about.
It also affords me the opportunity to take on new challenges. I will also be going back to Carnegie Mellon as Adjunct Faculty, to teach a Robotics and Business course in the Masters in Robotics Systems Development program. I'm excited about this new role, and look forward to working with the extremely bright and hardworking students in MRSD, and with reestablishing my ties to CMU.
I'm excited about what the future holds, and eternally grateful to many folks - employees, customers, and mentors - who have played such a strong role in Neya's growth and success. I'm equally excited about evolving my role with Neya while having the flexibility to explore new ideas and opportunities.
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