Paul Mikesell
Paul Mikesell is Founder and CEO at Carbon Robotics and co-founder at Isilon Systems. He founded Carbon Robotics, which is still running, and co-founded Isilon Systems, which was acquired. His professional expertise is in engineering.
Carbon Robotics launches 'Carbon Autonomy Ready' on Sept 1, 2026; Great Plains Manufacturing first partner
Seattle-based Carbon Robotics launched 'Carbon Autonomy Ready' on September 1, 2026, a program letting third-party implement makers connect their equipment to its autonomous tractor platform, with Great Plains Manufacturing as the first partner.
Shift AI announces Carbon Robotics' laser weeder can kill unseen weeds on first attempt, says CEO Paul Mikesell
Carbon Robotics, a Seattle-based physical-AI company led by CEO Paul Mikesell, has developed a laser weeder that can identify and eliminate previously unseen weeds without retraining, enabling farmers to target individual plants and potentially reduce pesticide use.
Boaz Ashkenazy announces Carbon Robotics’ laser weeder, led by Paul Mikesell, can kill unseen weeds on first try without retraining
Carbon Robotics, led by Paul Mikesell, built a laser weeder with a vision model that generalizes to identify and destroy previously unseen weeds without retraining, enabling farmers to point at a weed onscreen and have it eliminated on the first try. The technology could sharply reduce pesticide use by targeting individual plants at scale, and the full discussion is on ShiftAI.fm (link in comments).
2026 GeekWire Awards Celebrate Seattle Tech Scene with Over 300 Attendees and Winners Including Carbon Robotics, HouseWhisper AI, and Omeros
The 2026 GeekWire Awards celebrated Seattle's vibrant tech community with over 300 attendees honoring top startups, founders, and leaders across multiple categories at Showbox SoDo. The event highlighted Seattle as a hub for innovation with winners like Carbon Robotics, HouseWhisper AI, and Omeros recognized for their contributions.
Allen Institute for AI, Carbon Robotics, DAT Freight & Analytics, Humanly, and Yoodli Named 2026 GeekWire Workplace of the Year Finalists
The 2026 GeekWire Awards Workplace of the Year finalists include Allen Institute for AI, Carbon Robotics, DAT Freight & Analytics, Humanly, and Yoodli, recognized for building exceptional workplace cultures based on core values like trust and openness. The award ceremony occurs on May 7 in Seattle, with public voting open through April 16.
Seattle’s Agtech Startups Like Carbon Robotics Garner $157M to Drive Sustainable Farming Amid Industry Growth
Seattle and the Pacific Northwest are becoming a major hub for agriculture technology, driven by local tech talent, innovative farming, and advances in robotics and AI. Despite a dip in agtech investments from 2021 to 2022, startups like Seattle-based Carbon Robotics are raising significant funding and developing sustainable farming technologies.
VCs Urge Startups to Focus Long-Term Despite $3 Trillion Market Loss from Trump’s Tariff Announcement
Venture capitalists advise startups to maintain a long-term focus despite uncertainty caused by President Trump’s new tariffs, which triggered a $3 trillion market value loss. While tariffs pose short-term challenges for hardware and manufacturing startups, many emphasize resilience and product-centric growth strategies.
Carbon Robotics Unveils LaserWeeder G2, an AI-Powered Laser Weed-Control Robot with Enhanced Speed, Modularity, and Manufacturing in Washington
Carbon Robotics launched the LaserWeeder G2, an AI-powered, faster, lighter, and more modular robot for weed control designed for various farm sizes and crops. The new model uses advanced AI, computer vision, and lasers to precisely eliminate weeds, with production at their new Eastern Washington facility.
2024 GeekWire Awards on May 9 in Seattle to Honor Over 50 Pacific Northwest Tech Innovators
The 2024 GeekWire Awards event will be held on May 9 in Seattle to honor top innovators and leaders in tech from the Pacific Northwest, with over 50 finalists across multiple categories. Tickets are limited and the ceremony features awards, a dinner, and entertainment.
Pacific Northwest Startups in GeekWire Awards Finalize Sustainable Innovations Tackling Carbon, PFAS, and Waste Chemicals for 2024
The 2024 GeekWire Awards Sustainable Innovation finalists include Pacific Northwest startups developing technologies to address environmental issues such as PFAS contamination, carbon removal, and eco-friendly chemicals. Winners will be announced on May 9, with community voting open until April 12.
Seattle VC Firm Fuse, Led by Three Under-40 Partners, Raised $170M and Seeks $250M for Second Fund
Seattle venture capital firm Fuse, led by three general partners all aged 35 or younger, raised $170 million for its first fund and is currently raising $250 million for its second. The firm focuses on early-stage Pacific Northwest software startups and is notable for both its youthful leadership and sizable funds.
Carbon Robotics unveils 2022 LaserWeeder with 30 CO2 lasers; sold out after orders, taking 2023 pre-orders
Seattle startup Carbon Robotics unveiled the 2022 LaserWeeder, a tractor-pulled AI and computer-vision system using 30 CO2 lasers to kill weeds, can cover ~2 acres/hour, has sold out and is taking 2023 pre-orders. Carbon, founded in 2018 by Paul Mikesell, has raised $36 million to date and employs 35 people; a Voyager Capital partner called it the fastest-growing company hes seen in 23 years.
Carbon Robotics raises $27M to scale AI laser weed-zapping robots as farmers report pesticide-free savings
Seattle startup Carbon Robotics raised $27 million to scale its AI-powered, laser-based autonomous weed-removal robots, which farmers say cut pesticide use, save time, and improve soil health while the company has sold out 2021–2022 models and reported over $20 million in bookings.
Pacific Northwest Software Founders Launch Ag‑Tech Startups — TerraClear, Carbon Robotics, Pollen Systems Draw Major VC Interest
Successful Pacific Northwest software founders are applying their startup experience to ag tech, drawing significant venture capital into farm-focused startups and developing robotics and marketplaces for agriculture. Examples include Brent Frei's rock-picking robots at TerraClear, Paul Mikesell's weed-zapping Carbon Robotics, and Keith McCall's Pollen Systems and Everyvine relaunch.
RipeLocker raises $5M to commercialize patented low‑atmosphere containers as USDA begins trials
RipeLocker, a Bainbridge Island ag‑tech startup, raised $5 million to sell patented low‑atmosphere containers that extend storage life for recently harvested flowers and produce, and the USDA has begun trials to see if the tech can reduce storage chemicals. The company is building 500 units—half for commercial customers in flowers, hops and berries and half for trials—with first sales starting this summer and total funding now at $12 million.
Isilon co-founder Paul Mikesell’s Carbon Robotics unveils Autonomous Weeder that zaps 100,000 weeds/hour with AI-guided lasers
Carbon Robotics, founded by Isilon co‑founder Paul Mikesell, unveiled a self-driving Autonomous Weeder that uses AI vision and laser thermal bursts to identify and kill weeds in vegetable fields. The tractor-sized robot can cover up to 16 acres per day and zap as many as 100,000 weeds per hour, aiming to lower the cost of growing organic produce.
Observa raises $725,000 from Paul Mikesell, Bill Bryant and Drew Bradley to scale AI retail-audit platform
Seattle startup Observa, which uses AI and crowd-sourced retail audits to track product displays and link them to in-store sales, closed a $725,000 financing round from notable investors and reported four-fold revenue growth and 23% average customer sales gains. The five-year-old company has 20 employees, has raised over $2 million to date, and counts investors including Paul Mikesell, Bill Bryant and Drew Bradley.
Organizations
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Carbon Robotics Founder / CEO 2018–present, CEO and Founder · current
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Isilon Co-founder · current
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Oculus Research / Facebook Reality Labs Engineer 2018 · past
Education
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University of Washington BS, Computer Science · 1994–1996
