It’s been quite a year for Exyn Technologies.
In May, the Philadelphia robotics company went public, and longtime COO Ben Williams was talking about its next phase of growth.
In August, following an abrupt leadership shakeup, Williams stepped in as interim CEO, a role he’d previously held during a different transition.
This time, he took over when former CEO Brandon Torres Declet resigned following a board investigation. Exyn disclosed the findings — that Declet had racked up $286,000 in personal expenses charged to the company — in an August SEC filing.
“One of the most critical things initially is outreach to the employees … Making sure that they are comfortable to do the work.”
Ben Williams, Exyn
Williams said his first concern was making sure employees knew what was happening.
“I think one of the most critical things initially is outreach to the employees first,” Williams told Technical.ly. “Making sure that they are comfortable to do the work that they should be doing anyway, and not just agitated or worried or immediately trying to leave and go somewhere else.”
Leadership disruptions can leave employees uncertain about their jobs and a company’s direction, he said, making communication especially important.
“Even if you’re taking the right action, but you’re not explaining why and it’s not clear, then that leads to a lack of trust,” Williams said.
Keeping things moving
Founded in 2014 as a spinout from the University of Pennsylvania’s GRASP Lab, Exyn builds autonomous navigation and 3D-mapping technology for drones and ground robots that can operate in places where GPS is unavailable.
Williams joined Exyn as COO in 2019 with a mandate to help commercialize its research. He went on to build its product and technical teams and was already involved in customer-facing business development, investor outreach and preparations for the company’s May IPO.
“I’m just doing more of it now,” he said.
His first stint as interim CEO was different in one important respect: Exyn was still privately held.
Now, Williams said, leadership has to communicate not only with employees and customers but also with investors, channel partners and the public markets.
“There’s a lot more focus on maintaining continuity of both public-facing work,” Williams said, including making sure key stakeholders understand that the transition is not significantly changing Exyn’s day-to-day operations.
The growth plan remains
Williams said Exyn’s underlying strategy has not substantially changed.
When Technical.ly spoke with him in May, the autonomous robotics company was targeting growth in mining, geospatial applications, government and defense work and licensing its technology to other robotics manufacturers.
“From a strategic perspective, it’s fundamentally the same,” Williams said.
Exyn is expanding into government and defense work through a partnership with Norristown-based Asylon Robotics supporting the US Air Force’s Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex. The companies are preparing to test the technology there, using autonomous drones and ground robots to inspect aircraft and collect data about their surroundings.
By early 2027, Williams said he wants to see Exyn expand partnerships and product lines and continue moving toward profitability.
For now, that means keeping existing programs and product development moving while the company adjusts to its new leadership.
“Continuity is super important for the business,” Williams said, “and for the people themselves.”
