Erik Nieves: Co-Founder and CEO of Plus One Robotics
Erik Nieves is an American robotics entrepreneur and the co-founder and CEO of Plus One Robotics, a San Antonio, Texas-based company developing artificial intelligence vision software for warehouse robots. Before establishing the company, he spent more than 25 years working at Yaskawa Motoman, building extensive experience in industrial robotics, technical training and international business leadership.
His career combines traditional industrial automation with newer approaches to AI-powered warehouse operations, where robots handle repetitive tasks while human workers provide support when needed.
Erik Nieves’ Education and Early Career
Nieves earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematical Physics from Southwestern Adventist University in 1990. He subsequently joined Motoman, where he began as a Senior Instructor.
During his early years with the company, he helped establish its formal training centre and develop its course curriculum. He is also credited with setting up the first IACET-accredited robotics training programme in the United States.
This early experience gave him a strong understanding of how people learn to operate, program and maintain industrial robots, knowledge that would later influence his approach to human-supervised automation.
Leadership at Yaskawa Motoman
Nieves advanced through several leadership positions during his more than 25 years at Yaskawa Motoman. He became General Manager of Yaskawa Motoman Mexico, where he was responsible for establishing the subsidiary.
He later served as Technology Director, overseeing the company’s technology roadmap and emerging applications. His responsibilities spanned technical development, business operations and robotics leadership in the United States and international markets.
His long career at Motoman provided a foundation for understanding the practical challenges companies face when deploying robotics at scale.
How Erik Nieves Founded Plus One Robotics
Nieves left Motoman in 2015 and co-founded Plus One Robotics in 2016. His co-founders were Shaun Edwards and Paul Hvass. In a 2022 interview, Nieves explained that the original concept was largely developed by his co-founders rather than being his own idea.
The company established its base in San Antonio, Texas, and focused on AI vision systems that help warehouse robots identify, locate and handle packages.
Its approach combines robotic automation with human supervision. When a robot encounters a situation it cannot resolve independently, remote staff can intervene and help it continue working.
Robots Work. People Rule.
Nieves describes himself as a “human exceptionalist”, and the company’s slogan, “Robots work. People rule.”, reflects its philosophy.
Rather than treating automation as a complete replacement for human involvement, Plus One Robotics uses supervised autonomy to combine machine speed with human judgement. This approach is particularly useful in logistics operations, where packages can vary in shape, position and condition.
The company raised US$50 million in a Series C funding round in March 2023, led by Scale Venture Partners. The investment brought its total funding to nearly US$100 million.
Plus One Robotics counts FedEx among its customers and reports handling more than one million parcel picks per day. Nieves also serves on the board of the Association for Advancing Automation (A3).
Erik Nieves Profile
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Profession | Robotics entrepreneur and executive |
| Role | Co-Founder and CEO, Plus One Robotics |
| Education | B.S. in Mathematical Physics |
| University | Southwestern Adventist University |
| Graduation year | 1990 |
| Previous career | More than 25 years at Yaskawa Motoman |
| Company founded | Plus One Robotics, 2016 |
| Headquarters | San Antonio, Texas |
| Total funding | Nearly US$100 million |
| Series C funding | US$50 million in 2023 |
| Co-founders | Shaun Edwards and Paul Hvass |
| Net worth | – |
| Family | – |
Erik Nieves and the Future of Warehouse Robotics
Nieves’ work at Plus One Robotics highlights the growing role of AI vision software in modern logistics. As warehouses handle increasing parcel volumes, systems that combine autonomous picking with human oversight can help improve efficiency while managing difficult or unusual situations.
The company’s PickOne vision software is central to its robotics offering and supports integrations with warehouse automation systems. Its work also connects with the wider industrial robotics ecosystem, including partnerships such as the Torfresma collaboration.
Through Plus One Robotics, Nieves continues to promote a model in which robots perform repetitive work while people remain essential to decision-making and problem-solving.
