Humatics Corporation

Humatics Corporation

David Mindell, an MIT professor of aeronautics and astronautics, co-founded Humatics in 2015 to commercialize precision positioning technology. The company's name fuses "human" and "robotics," reflecting a mission to improve human productivity through machine collaboration. Humatics develops products in two lines: MILO for automation and robotics, providing sub-millimeter positioning for industrial settings, and Mobility for rail and transit, offering real-time predictive maintenance and vehicle positioning. The firm targets the manufacturing and transportation sectors. Publicly known customers include the New York City Metropolitan Transportation Authority, where Humatics has delivered train signaling projects — led by current CEO James Kinsey prior to his tenure as chief executive. James Kinsey runs day-to-day operations; David Mindell serves as executive chairman. In 2025, director Dan Levine launched a permanent capital vehicle, the 4IR Value Opportunity Holding Company, to provide his investor base — composed of leading family offices and institutions — with opportunities for long-term growth (per the firm, 2025). The board also includes Amy Villeneuve (former COO of Kiva Systems, acquired by Amazon), Tom Lee (Stanford professor), and Trevor Zimmerman (co-founder of Blackhorn Ventures). Scientific advisers include Bob Ballard (discoverer of the Titanic wreck) and Apollo astronaut Dave Scott. Humatics was co-founded by a sitting MIT professor and maintains deep university ties. The board brings unusual depth: Ballard spent 30-plus years at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and Scott commanded Apollo 15, adding domain expertise from extreme environments. This blend of academic, industrial, and exploration talent is a structural differentiator for a positioning-technology company.