CVector, an industrial AI startup focused on optimizing operations for manufacturers and utility providers, has secured $1.5 million in pre-seed funding led by Schematic Ventures. The funding comes as the company gains early traction with clients in sectors such as chemicals, automotive, and energy, including national gas utilities and a California-based chemical manufacturer.
Co-founded by Richard Zhang and Tyler Ruggles, CVector delivers AI-driven software that acts as a real-time “brain and nervous system” for industrial assets, integrating diverse signals like weather data, energy pricing, and even salt contamination effects from factory access roads. The system is designed to run on top of legacy infrastructure using languages like Cobra and Fortran, offering low-latency insights and control.
Zhang brings field experience from Shell, while Ruggles applies his background in particle physics and uptime-critical systems from the Large Hadron Collider. With an eight-person distributed team, CVector now plans to expand with talent committed to long-term infrastructure challenges, addressing the trust gap that often deters industrial clients from adopting early-stage AI solutions.
Featured image: Credit: CVector
