Andy Wheeler

When I was 22, I started a company called Ember Corporation, which made software and chips to enable wireless mesh networks. Today, more than half a billion of the chips we developed are still in use in products around the world. As a young founder, I had to learn to build a product from nothing, raise capital, and have the conviction to make risky decisions. You have to know what you don’t know, and supplement your own skills by surrounding yourself with a strong team.

Andy is a general partner at GV. Drawing on his background as an engineer and founder, Andy helps companies bring early-stage technologies from concept to commercial launch. As an investor, he has backed several industry-first breakthroughs in manufacturing, agriculture, robotics, logistics, and food. Andy’s investments include Carbon, Farmer’s Business Network, Abundant Robotics, and Orbital Insight.

Andy co-founded Ember Corporation and delivered multiple industry firsts, including shipping the first ZigBee system-on-chip which is used in millions of smart meters around the world today. He went on to serve as the chief technology officer at Tendril Networks and Adura.

Andy got his start in wireless and embedded technologies at the MIT Media Lab deploying large-scale sensor networks under a DARPA grant. He began his career at Zipcar where he developed the embedded wireless technology that powers the car-sharing service. Andy was selected for the Technology Review 100 Top Innovators Under 35 award in 2003 and has multiple patents in wireless networking and energy management. Andy received a Bachelor of Science and Master of Engineering in electrical engineering and computer science from MIT.