Thiru Vikram
About Thiru Vikram
Thiru Vikram is based in Buffalo, New York. He grew up in India and attended the Lawrence School, Lovedale, a military boarding school in the Nilgiri Mountains. He was Head Boy and Tennis Captain there, and he was a member of the school's Robotics Club from the age of 12. He then moved to the United States to study computer science and electrical engineering at the University at Buffalo (UB) School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. He later served as a Combat Engineer in the US Army Reserve under the MAVNI program.
In 2014 he founded Buffalo Automation with fellow UB engineering students, at age 19. The company began as a university research project to build an AI vision system for navigation. Its main product, AutoMate, uses AI, neural networks and thermal imaging to help large commercial ships navigate. Vikram left UB in 2016 to work on the company full-time. UB named him a CSE Distinguished Alumnus in 2021.
Buffalo Automation's reported funding includes a $900,000 seed round in 2018, led by the Jacobs family, with a $100,000 follow-on from Z80 Labs. In 2020 UB invested $250,000 in the company. Crunchbase says AutoMate won the AUVSI XCELLENCE Award and has generated revenue in North America, Europe and Japan. Tech Tribune named the company one of Buffalo's best tech startups in 2020 and 2022.
Crunchbase also lists Vikram as President of Campus Machine, a manufacturer of autonomous machines, from January 2025. It names Avatar Robot Company, a household robotics venture, as another new venture. He holds multiple patents on autonomous navigation and image recognition AI.
Crunchbase counts 3 investments and 1 portfolio company for Vikram. One of those is a lead investment, and none have exited. Crunchbase does not show the company names, dates or amounts on the profile page we could read. We found no public announcements, interviews or personal posts about his angel investing. We have left out anything we could not source.
Vikram has not publicly stated a preferred stage, sector, geography or check size, and we have not guessed at them. His operating background is in AI-driven autonomous navigation, maritime technology and robotics. In a Tech Tribune interview he said Buffalo startups often depend on angel investors and family offices because there are no notable VC firms in the city. That is a comment on his experience as a founder. It does not describe how he invests.
Founders who want to pitch him should first confirm his current interest through a warm introduction or his Buffalo Automation contact channels.
- crunchbase.com/person/thiru-vikram
- buffalo.edu/ubnow/stories/2020/10/buffalo-automation-seed-funding.html
- upstartny.org/inthenews/The-journey-to-funding-Buffalo-Automation-stor
- thetechtribune.com/thiru-vikram-of-buffalo-automation
- wikiwand.com/en/articles/Thiru_Vikram
- tracxn.com/d/companies/buffaloautomation/__AYyW_EKSTW-erdsznXVwrplpbvR
Investing activity
Thiru Vikram has made 3 investments according to Crunchbase across 1 portfolio company, and has led 1 round and founded 2 companies.
Deals
Frequently asked questions about Thiru Vikram
Who is Thiru Vikram?
Thiru Vikram is the co-founder and CEO of Buffalo Automation, a Buffalo, NY company building AI navigation for commercial ships. He also holds the title of President at Campus Machine, according to Crunchbase.
How many investments has Thiru Vikram made?
Crunchbase lists 3 investments, 1 portfolio company and 1 lead investment, with no exits. Company names and amounts are not shown publicly.
What is Thiru Vikram's check size?
No check size is public. We found no statement from Vikram on how much he invests.
What stage and sectors does Thiru Vikram invest in?
He has not publicly stated this. His own work is in AI vision, autonomous navigation and robotics, but that does not confirm what he invests in.
Where is Thiru Vikram based?
He is based in Buffalo, New York. Buffalo Automation is headquartered there.
What has Thiru Vikram built as a founder?
He founded Buffalo Automation in 2014. Its AutoMate product won the AUVSI XCELLENCE Award, according to Crunchbase. He is also linked to Campus Machine and Avatar Robot Company.
Is Thiru Vikram an angel investor?
Yes. Thiru Vikram invests personally as an angel and is CEO at Buffalo Automation. Crunchbase counts 3 investments.
How can founders reach Thiru Vikram?
Founders on Lounge can see Thiru Vikram's contact details in AI Investor Contacts (paid plans), check for a warm introduction through members who worked with them under Warm Paths, and add Thiru Vikram to their Investor Pipeline to track the conversation.