CVector, an emerging startup in the industrial AI sector, is making significant strides in enhancing the operational efficiency of critical infrastructure. Smart cities entrepreneurs Richard Zhang and Tyler Ruggles have built this small but energetic firm into an international innovator. It has already deployed its Generative AI agents in manufacturing verticals including chemicals, automotive, and energy. CVector, a Rhode Island-based startup with an eight-person team distributed between Providence, Rhode Island, New York City, and Frankfurt, Germany. They’re on a mission to change how the world’s makers operate.
Since CVector’s founding, CVector has been dedicated to meeting the needs of large scale, complex critical infrastructure. The name reflects the company’s mission to bring the most sophisticated software solutions to bear on the task of managing and improving industrial operations. The founders believe that their unique backgrounds—Zhang’s experience as a software engineer for Shell and Ruggles’ expertise in experimental particle physics—position them well to tackle the challenges faced by the industry.
Richard Zhang’s time at Shell was all about creating iPad apps for people who had never touched an iPad before in their lives. That practical experience was instrumental in his approach to making real-world internal user friendly software for industry. “I love the fact that instead of trying to write a paper, submit it, get it through the peer review process and hope that somebody looks at it, that I’m working with a client on something that’s in the ground and that we could be helping them keep it up and running,” Zhang stated.
Zhang has been fortunate to acquire so much valuable practical experience. In parallel, Tyler Ruggles is adding Virtual Reality expertise, knowledge he had gained while working at the Large Hadron Collider. With a background of a PhD in experimental particle physics, he especially enjoys the aspect of building confidence within clients. “Those are places where you get to build up that kind of confidence, and that kind of background really helps give people some trust, some confidence in you,” Ruggles explained.
CVector’s software is helping clients including national gas utilities and a California-based chemical producer. It allows for real-time transition between dispatch management systems that still utilize legacy coding languages such as Cobra and FORTRAN. This emphasis on legacy systems shows CVector’s intent to build upon and retrofit existing infrastructures rather than just mass replacing systems.
The startup recently announced that it had teamed up with Schematic Ventures, which co-led a $1.5 million pre-seed capital investment. This financial support will allow CVector to increase its staff and strengthen its services so CVector can better meet increased demand. Their founders point to their commitment to hiring “mission-aligned people” who want to work on changing the game in physical infrastructure.
To build its industrial AI software architecture, CVector has repurposed these fintech solutions and advanced real-time energy pricing data. They’ve even worked open-source software, originally developed by the McLaren F1 racing team, into their design. The company refers to this innovative architecture as a “brain and nervous system for industrial assets.” By leveraging this approach, CVector is able to arm its clients with greater context and information to make better, more informed decisions.
Zhang highlighted the agility that CVector’s approach provides: “You can make changes, build up features, and build new stuff for your customers – rapidly.” This flexibility is important in an industry where technology changes at a breakneck pace, and clients’ needs are constantly changing.
As CVector continues to engage with major players in critical infrastructure, the founders have noted common concerns among potential clients. Zhang remarked, “When we talk to some of these big players in critical infrastructure, the first call, 10 minutes in, like 99% of the time we’re gonna get that question.” This shows, more than ever, a clear demand for not just repeatable but creative and novel solutions across the sector.
Ruggles added, “Bringing those kinds of signals into your operations and your planning is incredibly valuable.” He’ll make his usual promise that everything they do is focused on enabling clients to operate their institutions more efficiently and profitably.