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Sankar Nivas Manickam

Co-Founder & CEO, Heylper
Santa Clara, California,United States
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Sankar Nivas Manickam's Overview

Total Experience24 years
CompanyHeylper
CountryUnited States

Sankar Nivas Manickam is a highly accomplished engineering leader with extensive experience in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Robotics, and Autonomous Systems. He is widely recognized for his significant contributions to the development of autonomous driving technology, particularly during his tenure at Tesla where he held senior engineering leadership roles focusing on Autopilot and AI. Sankar is passionate about building and scaling high-performing teams to tackle complex technological challenges and deliver innovative products that have a real-world impact. His expertise spans deep learning, computer vision, sensor fusion, and the development of large-scale software systems for autonomous vehicles. He is also an active voice in the tech community, sharing insights on AI, leadership, and technology trends.

Professional Summary

Sankar Nivas Manickam's work history includes a series of influential roles in various companies. Here is a detailed list of his professional journey:

Heylper - Co-Founder & CEO (2015 to Present)
Perspecte - Co-Founder & CEO (2005 to 2015)
Cognizant - Business Development Manager (2004 to 2005)
Caterpillar Inc. - Lean Engineer (1999 to 2000)
STUDENTS QUALITY COUNCIL (SQC). - Founder & First President (1998 to 1999)

Notable Achievements

Leadership in Autonomous Driving at Tesla

Played a pivotal role as a Director of Engineering, leading teams responsible for critical aspects of Tesla's Autopilot and Full Self-Driving (FSD) software, including perception, prediction, and AI infrastructure.

Development of Advanced AI/ML Systems

Spearheaded the design, development, and deployment of cutting-edge machine learning models and AI algorithms for autonomous navigation, object detection, and decision-making in complex environments.

Building High-Performance Engineering Teams

Successfully recruited, mentored, and managed large, globally distributed teams of engineers and researchers, fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and excellence in AI and robotics.

Thought Leadership and Community Contribution

Actively contributes to the tech community through articles, talks, and discussions on AI, autonomous systems, and engineering leadership, sharing valuable insights and experiences.

Educational Background

Indian Institute of Management, Indore - Year 2002

Master of Business Administration - MBA, General Management

Indian Institute of Management, Indore - Year 2002

Bachelor of Engineering - BE, Manufacturing Engineering

College of Engineering, Guindy - Year 1995

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Notable news
Hiring actively
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance

Company Overview

Heylper
Total employees20
HeadquartersAmsterdam
Founded2022

Heylper develops an AI-powered colleague for customer experience (CX) teams. Their AI autonomously handles a significant portion (up to 80%) of customer support conversations via email, chat, and other text-based channels. This allows human support agents to focus on more complex issues, improving overall service quality and efficiency for businesses seeking to enhance their customer interactions.

Heylper Funding Information
$130K - Total Funding Raised
$130K - Most recent funding amount
1 - Number of funding rounds
Sep 1, 2022 - Latest funding round
Lead Investors:
Techstars
Peak Capital

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