# Shivani Torres > Executive Operator & Advisor | Critical Infrastructure, AI & Defense Tech | Investor | Product Leader | Building What’s Next | a16z American Dynamism 50 · MIT TR35 · 40 Under 40 Location: San Francisco, California, United States Profile: https://flows.cv/shivanitorres I’m an advisor, operator, and investor focused on scaling critical technologies from early validation to real-world deployment. My career spans bioengineering, robotics, advanced manufacturing, and underground infrastructure—working at the intersection of product, commercialization, and systems-level execution in high-stakes environments. Most recently, I served as a VP-level GTM and strategy leader helping stand up an international mining innovation platform and supporting global expansion efforts in the Middle East. Prior to that, I was Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer of a deep-tech infrastructure company developing first-of-its-kind drilling and undergrounding technologies for some of the most challenging ground conditions. Earlier in my career, I was a founding engineer and product leader across multiple bio-tech and robotics efforts, including the development and launch of FDA-approved medical devices, contributions to next-generation robotic surgical systems, and the commercialization of advanced digital manufacturing technologies. Across roles, I specialize in: • Turning frontier technologies into deployable, revenue-generating products, from early concept through paid deployment and scale • Designing and leading GTM strategy across regulated, industrial, and public-private markets, including partnerships and enterprise sales • Driving commercialization from zero to sustained revenue, aligning product, pricing, and market entry to unlock real customer demand • Scaling ventures in energy, mining, infrastructure, and defense-adjacent sectors, where timelines are long and execution risk is real • Operating at the intersection of technical, commercial, and geopolitical complexity, translating ambiguity into execution and outcomes I currently advise founders, venture platforms, and organizations working on critical infrastructure, AI-enabled systems, and industrial technologies, while selectively investing alongside institutional partners. I’m always open to conversations with people building ambitious things in hard spaces. ## Work Experience ### Strategic Advisor & Fractional GTM and Product Exec | Critical Tech, Infrastructure, AI | Investor @ Independent Jan 2024 – Present | San Francisco Bay Area Advising founders, venture platforms, and enterprises on go-to-market, commercialization, and strategic growth across critical infrastructure, energy, mining, critical minerals, AI, and defense technologies. Focus areas include market entry, GTM architecture, public-private partnerships, and scaling frontier technologies into real revenue. ### Limited Partner & Angel Investor @ Palumni VC Jan 2020 – Present Limited Partner at Palumni VC with an active angel portfolio, primarily through co-investments alongside the fund. Select portfolio across AI, robotics, infrastructure, and defense-adjacent companies. Focused on hard-tech and defense-adjacent technologies, with an operator’s lens on commercialization and go-to-market. palumni.vc/portfolio Co-Investors: Point72, US Innovative Technology (USIT), Gradient, First Round Capital, DCVC (Data Collective), Coatue Management, Valor Equity Partners, Tiger Global Management, Khosla Ventures, NEA (New Enterprise Associates), Felicis Ventures, SignalFire, Vertex Ventures, Initialized Capital, Drive Capital, Form Capital,Visionaries Club, firstminute capital, CRV, Bloomberg Beta, and more ### Investor @ Hex Jan 2025 – Present ### Investor @ Gecko Robotics Jan 2023 – Present ### Investor @ Anduril Industries Jan 2022 – Present ### Investor @ AngelList Jan 2022 – Present ### Investor @ Insight M Jan 2021 – Present ### Investor @ Path Robotics Jan 2018 – Present ### Investor @ Hyphen Jan 2018 – Present ### Investor @ Elroy Air Jan 2018 – Present ### Investor @ Scythe Robotics Jan 2018 – Present Acquired by Autonomous Solutions, Inc. (ASI) in 2026 ### Investor @ Built Robotics Jan 2018 – Present ### Investor @ Electriphi Inc Jan 2018 – Present Acquired by Ford Motor Company in 2021 ### Scout @ Enduring Planet Jan 2024 – Present Working capital and financial services for ALL climate entrepreneurs! ▪ Fast, flexible, and founder-friendly capital for climate entrepreneurs. ▪ Non-dilutive capital via grant advances. ▪ Project-based, fractional, or advanced CFO support. Please reach out to me if you are a climate founder seeking capital or financial support. ### Investor @ FarmWise Jan 2018 – Present Acquired by Taylor Farms in 2025 ### Threshold Ventures Fellow (Alumni) @ Threshold Ventures Jan 2017 – Present | Palo Alto, California, United States 1 of 12 graduate Masters students across Stanford selected for a leadership program in technology and venture capital, now run by prominent VC leaders and educators: Heidi Roizen and Aidan Madigan-Curtis ### VP, GTM (Strategy) - Global | Strategic Growth | Venture @ Newlab Jan 2024 – Jan 2026 Critical Minerals Strategy, Innovation Across The Global Mining Value Chain, Mining/Energy/Climate Futures, Logistics, Energy, Industry, Advanced Manufacturing, Defense Detroit, MI Riyadh, Kingdom Saudi Arabia Brooklyn, New York Montevideo, Uruguay New Orleans, Louisiana ### Venture Partner @ Bee Partners Jan 2020 – Jan 2025 ### Co-Founder | CPO(Chief Product Officer) | Board Member @ Petra Undergrounding Jan 2020 – Jan 2024 | San Francisco Bay Area Honored with the prestigious No-Dig Award 2023 for Innovation in Trenchless Technology, 🌟 Award Category: New Technology, by ISTT - International Society for Trenchless Technology (https://www.istt.com/) Our winning innovation? The Petra Platform Ai1™ - a game-changing multi-functional, modular robotic machine adaptable to any geologic condition, marking a significant leap in trenchless installations with its focus on efficiency, adaptability, and versatility. Notably, the No Dig Award highlighted our two proprietary boring modules: 1. Assisted Dynamic Boring™ module for tackling unstable grounds. 2. Jet Bore™ module: an advanced non-contact removal method for high-strength abrasive rock. Petra is now operating as a Bay Area subcontractor, Phoenix Boring ### Co-Founder | VPEng | Board Member @ Petra Undergrounding Jan 2019 – Jan 2020 Tech/Hardware Enthusiast Specalizing in undergrounding, trenchless tunneling systems, jet-engine/propulsion systems, geology, construction tech, construction services Well-versed with CAD tools, DFM, and the essentials of mechanical design. In addition to design work, I really enjoy hands-on projects as well, and have access to and experience using a wide variety of tools and processes such as CNC machining, manual machining, MIG and TIG welding, sheet metal/forming, water jet cutting, laser cutting, large/small structures assembly work, woodworking, additive manufacturing 3D printing (FDM and SLA), casting, vinyl cutting, mechatronics prototyping/electronics/software design etc. ### VC (Investor & Staff Technical Lead) @ Lemnos Jan 2018 – Jan 2020 | San Francisco Bay Area Lemnos is the leading early-stage hardware & robotics venture fund. ### Mechanical Design & Fabrication Consultant (MEPs) @ Social Construct Company Jan 2018 – Jan 2018 | San Francisco Bay Area ### Founding Engineer - Mechanical/Product Development @ Novonate Jan 2015 – Jan 2018 | 395 Oyster Point Blvd, South San Francisco, CA 94080 Reducing the incidence of umbilical catheter-related blood stream infections. FDA approved device Successful Exit - Acquired by Laborie Medical Technologies in 2023 ### Engineering Project Manager @ Shonaquip PTY Ltd Jan 2015 – Jan 2018 | Cape Town Area, South Africa 2016 SAB Social Innovation Disability Empowerment Award Winner (1st place). Helping people with disability live fuller lives ### Founding Engineer - R&D, UX Product Design @ Madorra Inc. Jan 2015 – Jan 2018 | 4640 SW Macadam Ave #250, Portland, OR 97239 Empowering women to live fuller, healthier lives. ### Designer @ Fellow Jan 2017 – Jan 2018 | San Francisco Bay Area Design of patented technology that pumps air out of a container by twisting the lid, enabling sub-atmospheric pressure storage without the need for an external powered vacuum unit. Successful exit in early 2018 via licensing deal with established brand. ### DFJ Entreprenurial Leadership Fellow @ DFJ Jan 2017 – Jan 2018 | 2882 Sand Hill Rd #150, Menlo Park, CA 94025 Draper Fisher Jurvetson Venture Capital | Stanford Technology Ventures Program 1 of 12 graduate Masters students across Stanford selected for a leadership program in technology and venture capital run by prominent VC leaders and educators: Heidi Roizen and Tina Seelig ### Mechanical Engineer, Vision Engineering @ Intuitive Surgical Jan 2015 – Jan 2017 | 1266 Kifer Rd, Sunnyvale, CA 94086 Intuitive Surgical is the global leader in robotic-assisted minimally invasive surgery. ### Designer - Special Projects @ Carbon Jan 2013 – Jan 2016 | Redwood City, CA S-WORKS POWER SADDLE WITH MIRROR TECHNOLOGY. Inspired by real riders, informed by data, and enabled by Carbon DLS™ ## Education ### Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial Studies Stanford University Graduate School of Business ### Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Bioengineering, Minor in Mechanical Engineering (Design) Stanford University ### Master of Science (M.S.) in Mechanical Engineering (Robotics & Product Design) Stanford University ## Contact & Social - LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/shivanitorres --- Source: https://flows.cv/shivanitorres JSON Resume: https://flows.cv/shivanitorres/resume.json Last updated: 2026-04-05