Why Verity?

Verity is the global leader in autonomous indoor drone systems. We are a team of focused problem solvers that delivers cutting-edge solutions that work—every time.

The Verity warehouse drones have completed hundreds of thousands of flights. A track record for building systems that are 100% reliable in environments where failure is not an option, has earned us the trust of our clients in over 20 countries around the globe.

Our integrated inventory tracking system is powered by autonomous drone technology to enable zero-error warehouses for big box retailers, high-turnover 3PLs, and consumer goods manufacturers in Europe and the US.

Verity Drones at Celine Dion World Tour

Verity’s live events solutions provide lighting designers with new tools for expression to create stunning visual effects that have helped top artists like Drake, Céline Dion, Metallica, and Cirque du Soleil captivate audiences worldwide.

Verity partners with supply chain and warehouse innovators to grow our reach and enable nimble technology development to serve our global clients.

Our history

Soon after rolling up our sleeves together in 2014, Verity delivered the world’s first (and only) fully integrated solution using self-flying drones that operate indoors with complete autonomy. Today, our systems are being applied in widely diverse environments to transform businesses and open the door to amazing new possibilities. From enabling the zero-error warehouse through automated inventory tracking and analytics, to delivering stunning visual effects for top performing artists, our Swiss-built systems are engineered from the ground up to optimize safety, reliability, and performance.

Open Timeline

2014: Verity Takes Off

Verity is founded. An ETH Zurich and Flying Machine Arena spin-off, Verity develops the first-ever autonomous indoor drone systems.

2015: Funding Launches

Verity develops its drone safety technology, making quadcopters redundant to propulsion system failures.

Verity raises 3 million CHF in seed funding. Lead investor is Kitty Hawk (a Larry Page company).

2016: Into the Warehouse

Self-flying drones are used for inventory control in a proof-of-concept with a large global retailer. Verity performs 400 client-operated shows in Cirque du Soleil’s Paramour on Broadway.

2017: Lucies Go Live

While continuing to develop its automated warehouse solution, Verity launches its flagship Live Events product, the Lucie® microdrone. The Lucies debut with Metallica marks the first self-flying drone swarm for a major touring act.

2018: Funding Accelerates

Verity raises 18 million CHF in Series A funding from investors, including Fontinalis, Airbus, and Sony, to accelerate development of warehouse automation solutions.

2019: Commercial Pilot

Warehouse Drones automate inventory management

Mick Mountz joins Verity’s board. Verity CEO and founder Raffaello D’Andrea and Mick Mountz are inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame for their work on Kiva Systems/Amazon Robotics. Verity prepares for its first commercial pilot for its warehouse automation solution.

2020: The Rollout Rolls

Verity rolls out its first automated warehouse solution powered by self-flying drones to improve warehouse operations in retail and logistics. Verity achieves a quarter million autonomous indoor flights

2021: Major Clients

Verity is installed at global leaders IKEA and DSV to automate inventory tracking in their large warehouses, eliminating inventory tracking discrepancies.

2021: Media Moments

Verity's client DSV talks with Modern Materials Handling

Verity’s DSV project featured on the cover of Modern Materials Handling magazine. Verity named a Top Ten 3PL Solution Provider in Europe by Logistics Tech Outlook.

2022: Growth Continues

Reducing c02 emissions - Verity a cleantech company

Verity accredited as a Cleantech company by the Swiss government.

Verity hits the landmark of 5 million inventory checks completed.

2022: North America

Performance Team—A Maersk Company becomes Verity’s premiere client in North America.

Verity debuts in North America at MODEX 2022.

Our people make magic happen

Together, we’re creating the future of self-flying indoor drones.

The people who drive Verity’s vision, development, and reach are far from ordinary—and even extraordinary.

Verity’s growing team of experienced entrepreneurs, engineers, computer scientists, software developers, designers, and business professionals include some of the most brilliant minds in the world of robotics, machine learning, and drone technology. Today, we have nearly 100 patents to our name, and we continue to reach beyond existing limitations to rethink, reimagine, and rework the role of robotics in the world today.

Meet Team Verity

Management Team

Head of Product

Federico Augugliaro
Co-founder, CEO & Chairman of the Board

Raffaello D’Andrea
Head of Development

Sabine Do-Thuong
Head of Business Development

Martina Hansen
Head of Solutions

Scott Gibbard
Co-founder and CTO

Markus Hehn
Head of Legal

Astrid Lienhart
Head of People & Culture

Sigrid Neeskens
Head of Operations

Jennifer L. C. Shanks
CFO

Richard Stockmans
Co-founder, COO & Board Director

Markus Waibel

Head of Product

Federico Augugliaro

At Verity, Federico has overseen the successful production of drone shows across three continents. He graduated top of his class from ETH Zurich and completed a PhD in Robotics in 2015. During this time, he created flying robots that perform feats such as aerial ballets, interactions with humans, and the construction of structures—including a functional rope bridge. In 2017, he hosted a TEDx talk that shared insights on how to coordinate drones, design drone shows, and how Verity began building a drone-based system infrastructure.

Co-founder, CEO & Chairman of the Board

Raffaello D’Andrea

Raffaello co-founded Verity in 2014 with Markus Hehn and Markus Waibel. He is also a co-founder of the disruptive warehouse automation company Kiva Systems, which was acquired by Amazon in 2012 and later re-branded as Amazon Robotics. In 2020, he was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame and elected to the US National Academy of Engineering. His popular TED Talks and research videos have garnered tens of millions of views, providing an inspiring view into the world of engineering, robotics, computer science, and drone technologies and systems.

Head of Development

Sabine Do-Thuong

Sabine is responsible for the research and development activities at Verity. She has 20 years of experience in IT and business leadership roles, building and scaling onsite and remote teams around the globe. In a previous role, she successfully contributed to 30x growth of the company. She has been appointed to counsel on various advisory boards. Sabine holds a Master’s degree from ETH and an EMBA from HSG University of St. Gallen.

Head of Business Development

Martina Hansen

Martina leads business development activities at Verity, focusing on commercial scaling and execution. She has 12 years of investment and operational experience, with an emphasis on autonomous systems. Martina joined Verity from Covariant AI, a Silicon Valley robotics company, where she was responsible for growing the European business. She started her career in investment banking at UBS in the Media & Telecom Group in New York City before joining Blackstone’s Alternative Asset Management Group. Martina holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and B.A. in economics from Columbia University.

Head of Solutions

Scott Gibbard

Scott has more than 25 years’ experience in management consulting and product development across multiple science and technology-driven industries: medical devices, pharmaceuticals, aerospace, telecommunications, computer and manufacturing. He obtained an MBA from Cornell University and an MSc from the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies (UTIAS).

Co-founder and CTO

Markus Hehn

Markus has more than ten years of experience in the development of autonomous drone systems. He was awarded the Jakob Ackeret award of the Swiss Association of Aeronautical Sciences for his research in algorithms for high-performance control of aerial vehicles. Before focusing on drones, Markus worked on automotive drive trains, ranging from axle-split hybrids to Formula 1 engines.

Head of Legal

Astrid Lienhart

Educated at Zurich University and St. Gallen University HSG, Astrid is a highly experienced lawyer and founder of the law firm rechtskraft.ch in Zurich. In addition to her work as a lawyer, she edited a legal journal for several years and has been an author and speaker for numerous publications and events.

 

Head of People & Culture

Sigrid Neeskens

Sigrid is responsible for the People and Culture function at Verity. She brings along 12+ years of experience in global talent acquisition and people development across multiple geographical regions. Having worked for tech giants such as Apple and ABB she strives to create a superb end-to-end employee journey.

Head of Operations

Jennifer L. C. Shanks

Jennifer has more than 25 years of experience in operations and end-to-end supply chain, across the medical device and pharmaceutical industries. She has managed multiple international and multi-functional teams for startup organizations, most recently as Managing Director of Symmetry Surgical, Inc. where she was responsible for building the company’s European headquarters.

CFO

Richard Stockmans

Richard is an experienced corporate finance executive with an International MBA from York University. He has demonstrated success leading multinational finance organizations, supporting as much as $700M in annual revenue production. Richard has more than 25 years of experience in the finance function across the pharmaceutical, robotics, and aerospace industries.

Co-founder, COO & Board Director

Markus Waibel

Markus co-founded Verity in 2014 with Raffaello D’Andrea and Markus Hehn. He is also a co-founder of the non-profit ROBOTS Association and its flagship publication Robohub.org, an online platform that brings together leading communicators in robotics research, education, start-ups, and business from around the world. In 2018 he became the first president of Switzerland’s Drone Industry Association. He has won numerous startup awards, including selection as a finalist in the 2008 PICNIC Green Challenge with a multi-travel startup aimed at reducing CO2e emissions.

External Board Members

Board Director

Chris Cheever
Board Director

Mick Mountz

Board Director

Chris Cheever

Chris Cheever is a founder and partner at Fontinalis Partners, the world’s first mobility venture capital firm. He has worked with the boards of companies in weather tech, microlocation, advanced materials, cargo software, industrial drones, industrial robotics, metal additive manufacturing, location based social networks, telematics, autonomous vehicles, and mobile payments.

Board Director

Mick Mountz

Mick co-founded Kiva in January 2003 after spending time in high-tech product development, manufacturing and marketing at Motorola, Apple, and Webvan. In 2009, under Mick’s leadership, Kiva was ranked #6 on the Inc. 500 list of the fastest growing private companies in America, and in 2012 Fast Company recognized Kiva as the 23rd Most Innovative Company in the World. That same year, Amazon.com acquired Kiva and later renamed the unit Amazon Robotics. Mick holds over 40 U.S. technology patents and is a member of the National Inventors Hall of Fame. He earned a BS in mechanical engineering from MIT and an MBA from Harvard and is now an active Boston-area technology advisor and seed investor working with innovative hardware-based startups.

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