Our Story

With over 30 years of leadership in international trade and as the founder of five companies, Fan Tan Smith brings a strategic global mindset and a proven entrepreneurial track record. She focuses on solving real-world problems through scalable, sustainable solutions that bridge the gap between human needs and technological possibility.

A committed humanitarian, she funds schools, orphanages, and clean water systems across Africa and Asia, has served fifteen years on the boards of three organizations, and is a member of Rotary International.

Harreynish leads smAiT's physical AI platform and the development of smAiT OS, across both software and hardware production. He holds an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from San José State University, with deep expertise in AI, robotics, human-robot interaction, and intelligent systems design.

A driving force behind smAiT, he turns the company's vision into reality, architecting AI-driven robotics solutions with speed and rigorous technical execution.

Bringing over two decades of experience in engineering and leadership, Daniel Flaherty leverages a diverse background in complex system engineering, quality control, government contracting, and mission-critical infrastructure. As Department Head for Facilities Engineering at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, he drives innovation and operational excellence in “Big Science” initiatives.

He offers strategic guidance on moving AI and robotics initiatives into production in complex, regulated environments.

Erik Norden is a computer architect and AI systems leader whose career spans Google, Apple, and NVIDIA. He helped pioneer modern neural processing and AI acceleration by spearheading the invention of the Apple Neural Engine and has led innovations in large-scale AI platforms and autonomous systems. Previously CTO of Zyphra, Erik now leads the company's AI Technology & Strategy.

As an advisor to smAiT, he provides guidance on scalable AI architectures, autonomous systems, AI data flywheels, and long-term technology strategy.

Jack McCauley is a co-founder of Oculus and a veteran hardware and systems engineer who helped bring breakthrough consumer technology to market. He serves as Innovator in Residence at the Jacobs Institute for Design Innovation at UC Berkeley, where he is also a professor.

He advises smAiT on hardware systems engineering, complex product architecture, and scaling advanced technology platforms.