# SK Ganapathi

> Dr. Srinivasan 'KG' Ganapathi is the founder and CEO of Vimaan Robotics, a Silicon Valley AI company deploying computer vision and machine learning to bring 100% inventory accuracy to warehouses. A serial entrepreneur with nearly 50 patents spanning magnetic recording, MEMS sensors, and supply chain digitization, Ganapathi previously founded Fidelica Microsystems (acquired by Lenovo) and Verreon Inc. (acquired by Qualcomm). With Vimaan, he is transforming how the world's largest 3PLs, retailers, and Fortune 10 companies track goods from dock to shelf - and became the first computer vision startup to receive investment from Amazon's $1 billion Industrial Innovation Fund.

- **Role:** Founder and CEO at Vimaan Robotics
- **Organizations:** Vimaan Robotics, UC Berkeley MET Advisory Board, Odisha Society of the Americans
- **Nationality:** American (Indian origin)
- **Education:** B.Tech, Metallurgical Engineering, IIT Madras, MS, Metallurgical Engineering, The Ohio State University, PhD, Metallurgical Engineering, The Ohio State University
- **Known for:** Nearly 50 issued and pending patents across magnetic recording, MEMS sensors, user input devices, thermal imaging, robotics, and supply chain digitization, First computer vision company to receive investment from Amazon's $1 billion Industrial Innovation Fund (2022), Distinguished Alumni Award for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Ohio State University College of Engineering (2023)

## Career timeline

- **1985** — Graduated B.Tech in Metallurgical Engineering from IIT Madras
- **1986** — Enrolled at The Ohio State University for graduate studies
- **1988** — Earned Master's degree in Metallurgical Engineering, Ohio State University
- **1990** — Earned PhD in Metallurgical Engineering, Ohio State University
- **1990-1992** — Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, Centre for Magnetic Recording Research, UC San Diego
- **1992** — Joined Applied Magnetics Corporation, Santa Barbara - developed patented Diamond-like Carbon coatings for magnetic recording
- **1994** — Joined Read-Rite Corporation, Silicon Valley - commercialized the 'Tripad' recording head
- **1997** — Joined DAS Devices as founding team member and interim CEO
- **2000** — Founded Fidelica Microsystems - MEMS-based fingerprint sensing; later acquired by Lenovo
- **2005** — Co-founded Verreon Inc. (thermal imaging/display) - acquired by Qualcomm
- **2017** — Founded Vimaan Robotics (initially as warehouse drone/inventory platform)
- **2022-01** — Vimaan emerged from stealth with $25M in Seed + Series A funding from NEA, Wing VC, Neotribe Ventures
- **2022-04** — Vimaan became first computer vision company funded by Amazon's $1B Industrial Innovation Fund
- **2023-10** — Received Distinguished Alumni Award for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Ohio State University College of Engineering
- **2024** — Vimaan recognized in two Gartner Hype Cycle Reports; launched PalletSCAN 360 at Modex 2024

## Achievements

- Nearly 50 issued and pending patents across magnetic recording, MEMS sensors, user input devices, thermal imaging, robotics, and supply chain digitization
- First computer vision company to receive investment from Amazon's $1 billion Industrial Innovation Fund (2022)
- Distinguished Alumni Award for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Ohio State University College of Engineering (2023)
- Distinguished Alumni recognition, IIT Madras Alumni and Corporate Relations
- Founded Fidelica Microsystems (acquired by Lenovo) and Verreon Inc. (acquired by Qualcomm)
- Led Vimaan to Gartner Hype Cycle recognition in two separate reports in 2024
- Board member, Founding Advisory Board, UC Berkeley Management, Entrepreneurship and Technology (MET) Program
- Vimaan customers include Fortune 10 companies, major 3PL providers and global brands

## Latest updates

- **2024-10** — Vimaan recognized in Gartner Hype Cycle for Mobile Robots and Drones, 2024 and Hype Cycle for Supply Chain Execution Technologies, 2024
- **2024-03** — Launched PalletSCAN 360 at Modex 2024, a new ML/computer vision platform for pallet scanning
- **2023-10** — Received Distinguished Alumni Award for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Ohio State University's 2023 College of Engineering Alumni Awards
- **2022-04** — Vimaan became first computer vision company to receive investment from Amazon's Industrial Innovation Fund
- **2022-01** — Vimaan emerged from stealth with $25M in Seed and Series A funding from NEA, Wing VC, and Neotribe Ventures

## Links

- Website: https://vimaan.ai
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sk-kg-ganapathi-b015a49

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/sk-ganapathi
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-05-22