ABOUT
Our History
For more than 100 years, the evolution of manual assembly has been at an impasse. In 2017, Drishti changed all that.
The fourth era of manufacturing: AI-powered production
To date, there have been three eras of manufacturing:
Craft
Defined by an artisan creating a unique and fully built product, one at a time (pre-1908)
Mass
Defined by the standardization of parts enabling products to be produced at scale (Ford, 1908)
Lean
Defined by the minimization of waste in manufacturing systems while ensuring that only what is required is built (Toyota, 1948)
Now, Drishti is driving the fourth era of manufacturing: AI-powered production. We're taking the best elements of all three past eras and superpowering them with AI and computer vision. And the results are just as transformational as the eras that preceded it.
How we got started
Thirty years ago, General Motors’ general assembly line had a problem: Workers struggled to safely install heavy parts like cockpits. But robots were not agile enough to perform the complex, variable processes.
GM turned to Drishti’s now-CEO and Founder Dr. Prasad Akella, who led the team that developed the world’s first collaborative robots, or cobots, to solve the problem.
The idea was simple but transformational: Combine mechanical strength and precision with human agility and adaptability.
Besides creating what is now a multi-billion-dollar market, Prasad came away with a profound understanding: That people and technology, working together, can amplify each others’ value and create something far more valuable than the sum of their parts.
Founded in 2016, Drishti facilitates the path of people and machine working together. It is the path that Drishti is driving in the manufacturing world — and, in so doing, introducing the world to the fourth era of manufacturing: AI-powered production that follows in the rich footsteps of craft, mass, and lean production.
People are manufacturing’s superpower. But 100+ years after Henry Ford, there’s a massive lack of understanding about manual assembly activities in manufacturing.
— Prasad Akella
Achievements
2021
Drishti inks its first deal in Europe as part of its EMEA expansion plan.
2020
Drishti earns Series B funding, signs new global manufacturing customers, and is recognized by Forbes and NVIDIA as a top AI company.
2019
Drishti is recognized as a Technology Pioneer by the World Economic Forum for its action recognition technology and proves ROI with three significant manufacturers.
2018
Drishti earns Series A funding and receives two awards for its innovative technology designed to empower better decision making in the factory.
2017
Drishti receives seed round of funding from top investors.
2016
Three founders come together to launch Drishti. Offices open in Silicon Valley and Bengaluru, and hiring begins.