Building the Backbone of Industrial Innovation

Podium Automation was founded to eliminate the painful lead times and manual processes holding back the control panel industry. We’re combining engineering talent, manufacturing experience, and custom software to bring speed and predictability to the electrical backbone of modern industry.

Image of a man and a woman working on the panels
Instant Infrastructure

Our Mission

We believe critical hardware and infrastructure shouldn’t be delayed by an 8 to 12 week wait for a control cabinet. Podium exists to introduce quick-turn, low-friction capacity to industries that need to move faster.

Backed by Visionaries

Our Story

Founded in 2024 by engineers and operators from Tesla, Blue Origin, Walmart, CFS and Bowery Farming, Podium combines decades of experience to build the next generation of industrial infrastructure starting with control panels.

We are proud to be backed by a16z, SV Angel, Banter Capital, and other incredible investors.

Image of three founders of the company standing together smiling

Our Values

Customer-first, always.

We obsess over making it easy to work with us. Fast quotes. Fewer emails. Panels that just work. Our goal is to be the easiest vendor on your list.

High integrity.

We believe in honesty, transparency, and overcommunication. We do the right thing by our team and our partners.

Grit & velocity.

We pick up the broom and act like owners. Speed is in our DNA and deadlines are taken seriously.

Win as a team.

We play to win as a team. We build relationships for the long haul and recognize that the sum is greater than its parts.

Meet the Team

Jamie Niu

Jamie is the Co-Founder & CEO of Podium Automation. She has led commercial strategy and business development at high-growth hardware companies including Tesla, Blue Origin and Bowery Farming.

Jamie Niu

Co-Founder & CEO
Jacob Buser

Jacob is the Co-Founder & CTO of Podium Automation. He has spent the last decade designing and building industrial automation systems across pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and food & bev as both an OEM and end-user of the equipment.

Jacob Buser

Co-Founder & CTO
Gordon Noble

Gordon is the founding software engineer at Podium, focused on curating the data and software systems that automate component selection and electrical design. Before this, he built software to orchestrate ASRS and production planning, manage the routing of product on the floor, and integrate human workflows with machinery.

Gordon Noble

Founding Software Engineer
Tess Engst-Mansilla

As a Technical Design Engineer at Podium, Tess is focused on the design of control panels and factory planning to facilitate future expansion. Before joining Podium, she worked at Commonwealth Fusion Systems, designing large-scale fusion energy solutions.

Tess Engst-Mansilla

Technical Design Engineer
Noah Bell

As a Senior Electrical Design Engineer at podium, Noah is focused on the electrical design of control panels and scaling Podium's engineering design capacity. Before coming to Podium, Noah worked for a Walmart's Advanced Systems and Robotics group designing control panels for their robotic storage and retrieval solution.

Noah Bell

Senior Electrical Design Engineer
Matt Hagerty

As Podium's Operations Supervisor Matt is focused on developing a Lean team of Assembly Technicians to deliver quality panels quickly.  Prior to joining the team a Podium Automation worked as the R&D Operations Manager for Bowery Farming.

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Matt Hagerty

Operations Supervisor
Nathan Reeder

Nathan Reeder

Assembly Technician

Careers at Podium

We’re hiring exceptional engineers and technicians to help us rebuild America’s industrial base.

Join our Team