Byron Boots
CEO and co-founder of Overland AI, spun out of the University of Washington's Robot Learning Lab, which he directed as the Amazon Endowed Professor of Machine Learning. BA Computer Science & Philosophy, Bowdoin College; MS/PhD Machine Learning, Carnegie Mellon; previously assistant professor at Georgia Tech (2014). Principal Investigator on DARPA RACER.
Boots holds an A.B. in Computer Science and Philosophy from Bowdoin College and an MS/PhD in Machine Learning from Carnegie Mellon. He was an assistant professor at Georgia Tech from 2014, then moved to the University of Washington as the Amazon Endowed Professor of Machine Learning, directing the UW Robot Learning Laboratory. As principal investigator of UW's team in DARPA's RACER program - building off-road autonomy software for uncrewed ground vehicles in GPS-denied terrain - Boots led the only one of three competing teams (with Carnegie Mellon and NASA JPL) to complete all eight RACER field experiments and convert directly into a company. He co-founded Overland AI in 2023 with fellow UW RACER-team members Greg Okopal and Stephanie Bonk; the company has since secured a $10M seed round (2024), an Army/DIU contract for the Robotic Combat Vehicle program, and a $32M Series A (2025).
Overview
- Role
- CEO & Co-Founder, Overland AI
- Based in
- Seattle, WA
- Prior experience
- University of Washington (Amazon Endowed Professor and Director of Robot Learning Lab), Georgia Tech (assistant professor)
- www.linkedin.com/in/byron-boots/
Affiliated funds0
No linked records yet.
Frequently asked
- Who is Byron Boots?
- Boots holds an A.B. in Computer Science and Philosophy from Bowdoin College and an MS/PhD in Machine Learning from Carnegie Mellon. He was an assistant professor at Georgia Tech from 2014, then moved to the University of Washington as the Amazon Endowed Professor of Machine Learning, directing the UW Robot Learning Laboratory. As principal investigator of UW's team in DARPA's RACER program - building off-road autonomy software for uncrewed ground vehicles in GPS-denied terrain - Boots led the only one of three competing teams (with Carnegie Mellon and NASA JPL) to complete all eight RACER field experiments and convert directly into a company. He co-founded Overland AI in 2023 with fellow UW RACER-team members Greg Okopal and Stephanie Bonk; the company has since secured a $10M seed round (2024), an Army/DIU contract for the Robotic Combat Vehicle program, and a $32M Series A (2025).
- What is Byron Boots's role?
- Byron Boots is CEO & Co-Founder, Overland AI, based in Seattle, WA.
- Where did Byron Boots work before?
- Byron Boots's prior roles include University of Washington (Amazon Endowed Professor and Director of Robot Learning Lab), Georgia Tech (assistant professor).
Sources & citations5
Each claim links to its underlying source. Confidence reflects how directly the source supports the claim.
- 1
Byron Boots, Amazon Endowed Professor of Machine Learning and Director of the UW Robot Learning Lab, co-founded Overland AI
Wikipedia: Byron BootsVerified2026-08-02 - 2
Overland AI was incorporated in Washington state on January 12, 2023; co-founders Byron Boots, Greg Okopal, and Stephanie Bonk, spun out of UW's RACER team
GeekWire: Secretive new startup focuses on off-road autonomous vehicles, led by UW robotics expertsVerified2023-03-07 - 3
Byron Boots faculty bio: Bowdoin, Carnegie Mellon, Georgia Tech, University of Washington, DARPA RACER PI
University of Washington, Allen School: Byron Boots, ProfessorVerified2026-08-08 - 4
Overland AI secured a $10M seed round to accelerate autonomous vehicle software development
The AI Insider: Overland AI Secures $10M in Seed Funding to Accelerate Development of Autonomous Vehicle Software for High-Risk MissionsVerified2024-05-25 - 5
Overland AI raised $32 million in Series A funding to advance ground autonomy for U.S. defense forces
Overland AI: Overland AI Raises $32 Million in Series A Funding to Advance Ground Autonomy for U.S. Defense ForcesVerified2025-01-01