Our Story

IN THE BEGINNING

Clearpath was started in a basement by four friends who loved building robots in university. After experiencing their own frustrations in the lab, they wanted to make robotics research easier. Persisting, failing, iterating and finally succeeding on the build of their first unmanned vehicle, Clearpath Robotics was born.

TODAY WE’RE DIFFERENT, BUT STILL THE SAME
Since then, the company has grown. We have robots and customers all over the world. Our offices are bigger and we have real desks, but we’ve held on to the spirit with which we began: be genuine, listen to customers, and keep it beautifully simple. Our team is passionate about building robots for the greater good. We love to problem solve, make innovative ideas a reality, and play the occasional game of frisbee over lunch. We’re the leader in research robotics and blazing the trail for robots in industry. Ready to be a part of it?
Clearpath robotics office

VISION

Automate the world’s dullest, dirtiest, and deadliest jobs.

MISSION

Provide inspired robotics solutions, world class support, and an incredible customer experience.

What We’re All About

START WITH WHY
Break problems down to first principles and ask lots of questions. Challenge assumptions with data. Always strive to understand why customers care. Simplify.
CREATE WOW
Inspire confidence and admiration in every interaction someone has with Clearpath. Surprise and delight customers in strange and interesting ways. Execute with obsession to detail.
CUSTOMER FIRST
Focus on customer happiness and always put yourself in the customer’s shoes. Understand customer needs better than they understand themselves. Deliver a remarkable experience at every opportunity. Provide a consistent experience as we grow.
NO BULLSHIT
Results matter, job titles don’t. Do what you say. Respect the person, but don’t let bad ideas go unchallenged. Always be honest, direct and transparent. Tackle difficult conversations head-on.
THINK BIG
Anticipate where we’re going and invest in systems that scale – help us build for the future! Encourage crazy ideas, volunteer for impossible situations, and don’t be afraid to go against the grain. Learn lots and grow quickly.
BE HUMBLE
Everybody has something to learn. Seek first to understand, then be understood. Push yourself to become better.
MOVE FAST
Use processes to automate everything you can. Break rules when necessary. Don’t ask for permission if you can stand firm behind your decision. Analyze failure and learn from it. Get shit done.
BE FRUGAL
Profit is the engine that lets us achieve our goals. Make smart investments. If we do more with less, we can do more. Spend it like it’s yours.
EMPOWER OTHERS
Create heroes. Give constructive feedback quickly. Go the extra mile for your teammates. Be a teacher.
BE FEARLESS
Embrace risk and tackle hard problems. If our ambitions aren’t uncomfortable or terrifying, we aren’t pushing ourselves far enough.
  • Clearpath from the air
    When you can't find the right angle for a photo... get a drone to take it!
  • Canoeing the Grand River
    This summer raced across the Grand River, followed by a delicious BBQ party!
  • Pub Grub
    Once a month, the whole team goes out for drinks and apps to celebrate successes.
  • Cinco de Mayo dip competition
    One of the most delicious Pico De Gallos from our third annual Cinco De Mayo contest.
  • Go-karting
    When we're not building robots, we hit the go-kart course.
  • Heart & Stroke's Big Bike Ride
    We give back to the community when we can, and we have a lot of fun doing it!
  • Let's Go Blue Jays!
    We bused everyone out to the Toronto Rogers Centre to enjoy a Blue Jays game in the sun.
  • A Clearpath Cake
    Because... we love cake!
  • IceCream at Clearpath
    The icecream truck surprises our team members with visits throughout the summer.
  • Coffee Break
    A few Clearpathians gather around our kitchen to share a coffee before starting their day.
  • Superhero Birthday Cake
    One of our project managers turned 50 - he's our superhero!
  • Video Game Club
    Clearpathians gather for a video game night or LAN part roughly every month.

Our Leadership Team

Clearpath Robotics is the brainchild of four University of Waterloo Mechatronics Engineering grads. With passion, ethics, and limited funds, Matthew Rendall, Ryan Gariepy, Pat Martinson and Bryan Webb created a company dedicated to automating the world’s dullest, dirtiest, and deadliest jobs.

Today, three of the four co-founders remain active and Clearpath has become a multi-million dollar operation with an international reputation for providing reliable, state-of-the-art robotics solutions. We continue to support open source technology and settle for nothing less than great.

Matt Rendall

Matt Rendall

CEO

Fueled by a potent combination of ambition and determination Matt can typically be found trying to take over the world one robot at a time. No obstacle is too large, no detail too small. Give the man a green tea and watch him go!

Developing the vision and strategic direction of this high-growth robotics company, Matt believes that robots will change the way the world works and is passionate about helping companies find rapid-ROI through the adoption of service robots.  In pursuit of this objective, he is leading a transformation at Clearpath with aspirations to become the world’s first $1B service robotics company. Matt has been named Young Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young  in 2013 and Profit Magazine in 2011.

Bryan Webb

Bryan Webb

COO/CFO

Guarding the Clearpath wallet with quiet ferocity, Bryan can crunch numbers and whip up complicated contracts full of impressive legal jargon – all while growing a shockingly lustrous mustache.

As CFO/COO and Co-Founder of Clearpath, Bryan is responsible for Finance, Manufacturing, IT and HR. Through his ability to implement lean operational policies and initiate a market-led business model, Clearpath achieved break-even within 18 months of its inception – Bryan was able to stretch the company’s initial $360,000 equity financing over four years while the team grew from 4 to 34. Bryan has raised millions of dollars in equity, managed debt and grants, relocated the business to a 30,000 sq ft facility and navigated a doubling of the team. He now focuses on strengthening the company’s business model with long-term contracts.

Ryan Gariepy

Ryan Gariepy

CTO

Cat meme connoisseur and autonomous systems guru, Ryan fulfills his duties as Chief Technology Officer while resisting the urge to express all of his thoughts solely via block diagrams.

As CTO, Ryan drives the development of Clearpath’s autonomous control software while providing technical strategy for the company’s product lines and managing external research partnerships. An avid speaker in the robotics community, Ryan has been invited to speak at over a dozen international robotics events. He has also presented on behalf of the Canadian High Commission in London, England, and on behalf of the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots at the United Nations. Co-founder of the Robot Operating System developers’ conference and a Director of the Board for the Open Source Robotics Foundation, it is no wonder why Ryan was recognized on Business Insider’s Top 40 Under 40 List alongside his business partners.

Investors

Our Board

Catapulting into calculated success, Clearpath was profitable just 15 months after inception. Through the tech community and the guidance of key individuals, the leadership team have maintained that same ethic, vision and passion that was prevalent from day one.

Matt Rendall

Matt believes that robots will change the way the world works and is passionate about helping companies find rapid-ROI through the adoption of service robots.  In pursuit of this objective, he is leading a transformation at Clearpath with aspirations to become the world’s first $1B service robotics company.

Bryan Webb

CLEARPATH ROBOTICS

Bryan’s philosophy is to implement lean operational policies and initiate market-led business models. Bryan has raised millions of dollars in equity, successfully managed company debt and grants, relocated the business facility and navigated a team growth 200% year over year.

Ryan Gariepy

CLEARPATH ROBOTICS

Gariepy drives the development of Clearpath’s autonomous control software modules while guiding the continued expansion of Clearpath’s research platform lines and custom industrial automation solutions.

Clearpath’s Board of Directors are some of those key individuals who push us to go further, be better and always strive for more. Some have been around since the very beginning, while others have stepped in during pivotal moments for the company. They all bring something unique to the table.

Murray Gamble

C3 GROUP

Murray Gamble is President of The C3 Group of Companies, a multi-discipline engineering, contracting and applied technology organization. Murray is one of Clearpath’s original angel investors.

Stuart Ellman

RRE VENTURES

Stuart is co-founder and managing partner of RRE Ventures. Leading RRE’s participation in Clearpath’s Series A investment, Stuart joined the board in 2015.

Mike Stork

STORK HOLDINGS INC.

A serial entrepreneur and angel investor, Mike has invested in over 20 companies and served as President and Board Chairman for Unitron Industries. Mike has provided mentorship to the Clearpath team since the company’s inception in 2009; he was one of Clearpath’s original angel investors.

Rockwell Automation completes acquisition of autonomous robotics leader Clearpath Robotics and its industrial offering OTTO Motors. Learn more | Read More
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