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Interns of Ambi Robotics, Summer 2024 Edition

At Ambi Robotics, curiosity drives our innovation. We push beyond the status quo, asking insightful questions and exploring creative solutions to real-world problems. Our internship program embodies this ethos of perpetual learning and growth. By diving into multifaceted experiences, our interns gain valuable insights across our organization, working on significant projects that tackle real-world challenges for our partners.

Summer at Ambi Robotics is already heating up — and we are thrilled to introduce you to our Summer 2024 intern cohort! These outstanding individuals are brimming with curiosity, inventive thinking, and unparalleled enthusiasm. As they join us in our mission to empower people to handle more through AI-powered robotics, they bring exceptional skills and innovative ideas to the table. We can’t wait to see how they will push the boundaries and help us continue thinking outside the box.

Let’s dive in and get to know our Ambi Trailblazers!

What inspired you to join Ambi?

Logan: I was intrigued by Ambi Robotics due to its smaller yet fast-paced work environment. The company is always working to develop new products all the time. Particularly, being a start-up company, I realized my potential to make an impact as an intern through various projects and tasks. 

Alice: I have always been interested in robotics. My favorite classes were in beta systems. I worked in a robotics research lab in college and won first place in a hardware robotics hackathon in college. The unique thing about robots is the way we can take theoretical skills in school to transfer them to make the applications more practical. I have always wanted to learn more about robots and Ambi provided me with this opportunity.  

Aditya: When I was looking for opportunities to grow, I was interested in software technology and how Ambi Robotics implemented it in our systems. I find it fascinating how Ambi manages to sort parcels and scan them extremely fast as they travel along the production line. 

Nam: When looking at Ambi’s website, I was thoroughly impressed by how Ambi presents our brand and values to the audience. Our value proposition of humility and curiosity greatly aligns with my own values of always seeking knowledge while inheriting a humble yet driven mindset. 

What does your team do at Ambi?

Logan: I am on the hardware team which combines both mechanical and electrical engineering. The hardware team designs an assembly together with new products. We oversee all the materials, assembling the proof of concept, iterating on that, and carrying through the final product. From there, we work to develop drawings and documentation needed to manufacture the products. 

Alice: The product team sets the direction for the company. Our team is similar to a “learning arm” where we talk to our customers and then communicate what we’ve learned with the engineering team on what to build. The product team uplifts the customer’s voice and involves many strategies in creating the products. We also coordinate many different tasks across different teams such as marketing, sales, and engineering.

Aditya: The robotic software team is responsible for deploying modern machine learning models and implementing computer vision techniques. Essentially, working on the robotic stack so that parcels are sorted correctly and the motion planning is smooth. 

Nam: The marketing team is at the heart of Ambi Robotics,  fundamentally responsible for uplifting the brand and ensuring that our message aligns with the company’s value proposition both internally and externally. We devise creative yet compelling narratives that resonate with our customers and bring the brand to life. We actively seek meaningful connections with our audience and create strategies that make an impact.

How do you see yourself contributing to the rest of the team/Ambi?

Logan: As an intern, I’m here to learn. I am very excited and I already learned so much just being here. One project my manager and I are hoping for me to work on is to build a weighing scale, a conveyor system that needs to weigh packages to later stack them. Besides the various tasks provided, I hope to significantly impact the product we are working on right now and in the future. 

Alice: I have been working many data analyst jobs for different customers. This process involves whether it’s worth it for them to buy our products. I’m actively testing our product for onsite demos and overall quality and to see if our products are good for demo and quality.

Aditya: With a background in robotics and machine learning, I hope to deploy the state of the model that I have gained from my previous experience. Thus, I hope to transfer and deploy some of these models onto the robots and see how they function. 

Nam: As someone who thrives in an environment where knowledge and creativity are cultivated, I hope to bring in refreshing ideas that could inspire my team. I enjoy empowering brands through my research on the latest marketing trends and devising my campaign strategies to better elevate the Ambi brand. I hope to not only bring unique perspectives to my marketing team; but also, to showcase Ambi to our prospective customers and audience.  

What is the team culture at Ambi like?

Logan: The team culture is super awesome; especially as an intern, everyone is very willing to help each other. The team does a great job organizing the equipment and I have been learning a lot about the different organization systems. Every time there’s a meeting, whether it’s three or 20 people, at the end of the meeting, we all clap it out and showcase good team building. I also love having lunch together at a huge long dining table. 

Alice: Ambi’s team culture is a cool blend of being humble yet very smart and incredibly kind. I have worked at five companies in Silicon Valley and I think Ambi is one of the kindest and smartest people I have ever met.  I have talked to each of the co-founders and all of them individually talk about how much they care about the companies. For them, happiness is about the people who use the technology. 

Aditya: My team has stand-up meetings every morning, where we have daily check-ins and update each other on our projects. The general company communicates well and is open to discussing with each other, which I like.  

Nam: I would describe the Ambi culture in one word, comfort. Within the first day, I realized how down-to-earth and fun everyone on the team was. There’s truly a bonding environment that allows me to grow both personally and professionally. My marketing team members specifically inspire me every day with their energy and passion for success. I feel incredibly at home whenever I come to work and it shows Ambi’s efforts in aligning our beliefs of empowering each other. I love how our CEO and Co-Founders sit in the middle of the office and interact with each of the employees without any sort of hierarchy.

What are your favorite memories at Ambi thus far?

Logan: On my fourth day here, I got to go ham with the angle grinder and chop the fence in half. It was a lot of fun! 

Alice: My favorite memory is with the people at Ambi. Lots of these memories are about getting to know everyone here, my manager would talk for hours and my Ambi buddy and I would go out for lunch often. I developed many cool friendships here and I have different relationships with everyone here. 

Aditya: On my first day, I remember our co-founder, Stephen, would bring his dog to the office and everyone would pet the dogs. I remember thinking how dog-friendly the office was despite the machines around. This was a memorable first-day experience. 

Nam: I am grateful to attend the company off-site at our CEO Jim’s house in Napa. It was an amazing day, getting to know our remote and in-person team members. Everything was perfect—from the beautiful decorations to the laid-back vibe and delicious food. The event highlighted how much our team cares about supporting everyone’s mental well-being. This trip is one that I will remember dearly. 

What is your goal by the end of this internship?

Logan: I want to learn more about industrial robots, everything here is made for a long cycle of industrial capabilities. It’s cool to see all the technology that goes into industrial rather than consumer-oriented. Learning more about industrial robots in general is something I am excited about. 

Alice: The biggest question mark I came into the internship with was if I wanted to continue working in the technology industry. The goal was to have the answer to this. Over the 5 months of my internship, my answer now is that I can see myself coming back to working in the technology industry. Ambi has shown me so much about tech. You can do so much good work, with very smart people and be very productive while having a very kind and humble culture. This is huge for me, and I am excited to see where I can contribute. I hope to be useful where people need me and wish to contribute to creating cool ROIs so companies can purchase our products and contribute wherever I can. 

Aditya: Apart from contributing to the team, I want to learn a completely new skill. In a small team, they’re quite open to teaching me new things and there are a lot of talented individuals here that would help me in learning that new skill. 

Nam: Marketing is an incredibly vast scope of work and within the past month, I learned so much. My team has guided me through everything from digital marketing to brand and email marketing. I’ve also had to hone my public speaking and research skills. I’m excited to see our team grow and make a real impact on how our audience sees Ambi Robotics. I hope to feel proud of our accomplishments and truly enjoy being part of the creative process.

Any advice to other individuals looking for an internship?

Logan: There’s a lot more engineering out there than you think. It’s not only limited to huge, massive companies you hear on the news. There’s engineering around every corner. I recommend looking for smaller companies. I am really glad that I ended up here at a small company. The small companies are where you will learn the most because you’re not tied down by paperwork and bureaucracies.

Alice: I encourage people to do what makes them happy. Do your personal projects. Everyone will think it’s so cool that you tried it. Even if the project is not a success, you can learn and grow so much from the experience. 

Aditya: I can attest to the difficulty of finding an internship; especially, as an international student. Many people often apply through Linkedin or Ambi’s website; I recommend emailing the company directly when it comes to applying for an internship position.  If you’re still debating what you want to do in the future, that’s okay. Don’t be afraid to diversify and try something completely new because, in the end, they will teach you whether you want to do it or not. 

Nam: The job market was incredibly competitive.  I would recommend those seeking an internship, apply to any company that they’re a little bit intrigued by and want to learn more about. For example, I was unfamiliar with the robotic industry; however, that did not prevent me from applying to Ambi. It motivated me to learn more. In addition, researching and asking questions about the company truly aided me in the interview process. To show that you care about the company and there are no “dumb” questions, just push yourself out there and your hard work won’t go unnoticed!  

And most importantly, if you could be any animal, what animal would you be and why?

Logan: Orangutans because they are cool, similar to monkeys but they’re orange.

Alice: Honey Badger, because I remember this video called “ Honey Badger Don’t Care” and it was very funny. They don’t care and I would love not to care as much.

Aditya: A Dragon, they are impenetrable, breathes fire, and can fly. 

Nam:  A sea turtle. I love the ocean and water. It would be fun to swim around and then lay on the sand. Also, they are so cute! 

Fuel your curiosity

You heard it from our interns first! At Ambi, we believe in creating a safe space where curiosity meets innovation. We’re incredibly grateful for their contributions to the team with every one of their motivation to grow. Are you eager to learn more? Follow us on our social media and stay updated with our upcoming products and future recruiting process. 

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