# Paul Mikesell

> Paul Mikesell is a Seattle engineer, repeat founder and the founder and CEO of Carbon Robotics. After helping build Isilon Systems, co-founding database company Clustrix and leading infrastructure engineering work at Uber, he turned his attention to a stubborn physical problem: weeds. Carbon Robotics now builds AI-guided LaserWeeders and tractor-autonomy systems used by growers internationally, while Mikesell remains focused on reusing the company's computer-vision platform across more farm work.

- **Role:** Founder and CEO at Carbon Robotics
- **Organizations:** Carbon Robotics, Uber, Clustrix, Isilon Systems, RealNetworks
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** B.S. in Computer Science, University of Washington
- **Known for:** Co-founded Isilon Systems, which completed an initial public offering in 2006., Co-founded distributed database company Clustrix, acquired by MariaDB in 2018., Built Carbon Robotics from a 2018 startup into a physical-AI company serving growers internationally.

## Career timeline

- **1998-2001** — Worked as a development manager at RealNetworks.
- **2001-2006** — Co-founded Isilon Systems and served as director of engineering; the distributed-storage company went public in 2006.
- **2006-2013** — Co-founded Clustrix and held CEO and engineering leadership roles while developing a distributed SQL database.
- **2014-2018** — Served as director of infrastructure engineering at Uber, working with infrastructure, deep learning and computer vision.
- **2018** — Founded Carbon Robotics in Seattle after conversations with farmers about the growing difficulty of weed control.
- **2022** — Carbon Robotics began delivering its tractor-pulled LaserWeeder after redesigning an earlier autonomous machine around growers' existing equipment.
- **2024** — Received the University of Washington Alumni Entrepreneur of the Year Award; Carbon Robotics raised a $70 million Series D.
- **2025** — Carbon Robotics launched the modular LaserWeeder G2 and its tractor-autonomy system, then raised a $20 million Series D extension.
- **2026** — Carbon Robotics introduced its Large Plant Model and expanded the Carbon Autonomy Ready program as the company reported operations across 15 countries and more than $100 million in annual revenue.

## Achievements

- Co-founded Isilon Systems, which completed an initial public offering in 2006.
- Co-founded distributed database company Clustrix, acquired by MariaDB in 2018.
- Built Carbon Robotics from a 2018 startup into a physical-AI company serving growers internationally.
- Named the University of Washington Alumni Entrepreneur of the Year in 2024.
- Named AgTech CEO of the Year in the 2025 AgTech Breakthrough Awards.
- Is a named inventor on distributed file-system patents from his Isilon work.

## Latest updates

- **2026-09** — Carbon Robotics announced its Carbon Autonomy Ready program, with Great Plains Manufacturing as the first participating equipment maker.
- **2026-06** — Mikesell demonstrated the LaserWeeder's scanner architecture at a Seattle deep-tech event and explained the company's choice to sell and support growers directly.
- **2026-05** — Carbon Robotics won the 2026 GeekWire Next Tech Titan award and appeared on CNBC's Disruptor 50 for a third consecutive year.
- **2026-03** — Carbon Robotics said it had passed $100 million in annual revenue and operated across 15 countries.
- **2026-02** — The company launched a Large Plant Model trained on its field imagery to recognize plants across crops and geographies.
- **2025-10** — Carbon Robotics raised a $20 million Series D extension led by Giant Ventures to support another AI-powered farm machine.

## Links

- Website: https://carbonrobotics.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-mikesell-4b63a9
- Twitter/X: https://x.com/pmikesell
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CarbonRoboticsLaserWeeding
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carbon_robotics/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Carbon-Robotics-LaserWeeder-100076826418850/
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@carbon_robotics

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/paul-mikesell
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-09-26