Robotics

Rivian Spinoff Mind Robotics Appoints Doug Field as President

The secretive industrial robotics startup has tapped automotive and tech veteran Doug Field to oversee its day-to-day operations, engineering, and product development.

Radwan AbdulhadiEditor and technology writer

Published: October 13, 2026 · Updated: October 13, 2026 · 3 min read

Rivian Spinoff Mind Robotics Appoints Doug Field as President — Image: The Verge

Leadership Appointment at Mind Robotics

Mind Robotics announced the appointment of Doug Field as president, marking a major milestone for the secretive industrial AI and robotics startup. The announcement was shared onstage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, signaling that the venture is preparing to scale its early operations just a year after its creation.

Founded in 2025 by Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe, Mind Robotics operates as a separate company while maintaining close ties to its parent automaker. Scaringe remains involved as chairman, but Field will take charge of day-to-day operations, including product development, engineering, and overall business execution.

Doug Field’s Extensive Industry Track Record

Field brings decades of high-profile automotive and technology experience to his new role. Most recently, he served as the chief of electric vehicles and software at Ford until earlier this year, following a leadership departure that formed part of a broader corporate reorganization.

Before joining Ford, Field was a vice president of special projects at Apple, where he served as the de facto head of Project Titan, the company's autonomous electric car initiative that was canceled in 2024. Earlier in his career, he also spent time at Tesla as chief vehicle engineer, where he helped oversee the Model 3 sedan and navigated its challenging production phase.

Financial Backing and Manufacturing Focus

The industrial robotics startup has built significant financial momentum since its inception. Mind Robotics has amassed over $1 billion in backing from prominent investors and venture firms, including Accel, Andreessen Horowitz, Eclipse, Kleiner Perkins, and corporate venture arms from Volkswagen and Salesforce.

Unlike competitors pursuing humanoid robots, Mind Robotics is designing purpose-built industrial systems powered by foundation models. The venture aims to automate manufacturing tasks at scale without attempting to mimic all the biomechanics of a human.

Rivian spinoff Mind Robotics hires former Ford EV chief Doug Field — Image related to the report from TechCrunch · Source: TechCrunch

Integration and Deployment Strategy

Mind Robotics benefits from a unique collaborative structure with Rivian. The EV maker serves as the startup's first customer and provides a live, high-volume manufacturing environment for model training and real-world deployment. According to financial filings, Rivian held a minority stake of about a third in the startup as of June 30, 2026.

Field emphasized the unique advantage of having immediate access to a functional production facility from day one. He noted that integrating AI and robotics presents a profound engineering challenge that the startup is well-equipped to tackle under Scaringe's leadership.

Broader Context of Rivian's Spinoff Strategy

Mind Robotics represents the second standalone entity created by Scaringe outside of Rivian's core automotive business. It follows the establishment of Also, a micromobility startup focusing on high-end e-bikes. Both ventures operate independently while allowing Rivian to retain minority equity positions.

With Field now at the helm of Mind Robotics, the company is poised to accelerate its engineering efforts, develop industrial foundational models, and deploy automated systems designed to transform modern manufacturing environments.