Venti Technologies Co-Founder Daniela Rus Wins Bavaria’s Top Technology and Engineering Honor

MIT AI autonomy pioneer receives 2026 High-Tech Award of the Bavarian Minister-President

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Venti Technologies, a leader in autonomous vehicle (AV) operations for industrial yards and logistics hubs, today announced that company Founder MIT Professor Daniela Rus, Ph.D., has won Germany’s most highly endowed award for technology and engineering, the 2026 High-Tech Award of the Bavarian Minister-President.

Rus, who co-founded Venti in 2018, is Director of the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

The joint award from the Bavarian State Government and the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities was presented on July 23 at the Munich Residence by Minister-President Dr. Markus Söder. Rus, he said in a news release, is “shaping the next generation of intelligent and connected robots. From the operating table to the highway, to the depths of the sea, her innovations help make life longer and better.”

In the field of autonomous mobility, the award jury said, “Her team integrates methods from social psychology into the decision-making of autonomous vehicles, enabling them to analyze and anticipate the social behavior of road users — a key factor for safe interaction between humans and machines.”

The award is endowed with 300,000 euros provided by the Ulrich L. Rohde Foundation.

Among other honors, Rus has received the IEEE Edison Medal (2025), the John Scott Medal (2024), the IEEE Robotics and Automation Award (2023), and the Engelberger Robotics Award (2017) — the highest honor in industrial robotics. She is a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the Bavarian AI Council, among others.

“Daniela’s achievements reflect the overall excellence of the researcher, entrepreneur, and friend I know,” said Heidi Wyle, Ph.D., Founder and CEO of Venti. “A 2002 MacArthur Fellow, she has helped birth a phenomenally powerful technology that will revision goods movement and save 40-66 % of the costs, thus saving money for everyone. Her work has fueled our success in countless ways and laid the foundation for growth and scale for decades to come.” Chief Science Officer Xinxin Du, Ph.D., and MIT Professor Saman Amarasinghe are Venti’s other Co-Founders.

About Venti Technologies

Venti Technologies is a world leader in autonomous vehicle logistics for industrial yards and logistics hubs: ports, airports, rail yards, warehouses, and factories. Founded in 2018 by a team with strong MIT roots, the company is pioneering the future of AI-powered transportation for moving goods. Its highly flexible and industrial-grade precision technology enables rapid deployment and best-in-class safety and operational efficiency for customers. For more information, please visit www.ventitech.ai.