From UGA to AI Innovation: Azalea Robotics' Journey

In spring 2025,  Nikita Jha, a fourth-year computer science and economics major at the University of Georgia, was interviewed along with the co-founders of Azalea Robotics and UGA alumni, David Millard (BS Mathematics and Computer Science, `14) and John B. Stroud (BS Mathematics and Economics, `16). Stroud and Millard shared their journey from being students at Franklin to founding a Y Combinator-backed startup in Berkeley, Ca., where Jha also worked as a robotics engineering intern. Their story highlights the power of a strong academic foundation, innovative thinking, and mentorship shaping the future of AI-driven robotics.

Reflecting on Franklin

Jha, Millard and Stroud reflected on some of the defining moments at the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences that influenced their paths as AI entrepreneurs. For Millard, now CEO and CTO of Azalea Robotics, a pivotal moment was taking Professor Ted Shifrin’s Multivariable Mathematics with Honors (Math 3500) course. “It was an extraordinary class,” he said, crediting it for building his geometric intuition and exposing him to concepts like linear algebra, calculus on manifolds, and numerical optimization—foundations critical to AI and robotics today.

Stroud, the CFO and COO, echoed the value of Franklin’s rigorous math program but highlighted its broader impact. “The math classes were difficult,” he said, emphasizing how tackling proof-based problems honed his problem-solving skills. “Because of Franklin, I’m a better problem solver than almost anyone else out there,” he added.

The Founding of Azalea Robotics

The inception of Azalea Robotics stemmed from Millard ’s work at NASA’s Ames Research Center on the Isaac project, which explored automating cargo handling on space stations to save astronaut time. Observing the labor-intensive and injury-prone baggage handling process in the airline industry, Millard reached out to Stroud, who had worked in airport operations at United Airlines. “I called my good friend and said, ‘Hey, what’s the story here? If there was a robot that could do this, would you use it?’” Millard recalled. Stroud’s response was enthusiastic: “If you showed someone a version of this that works, they would think it was like magic.”

This realization led to Azalea Robotics, a company focused on bringing cutting-edge robotics and physical intelligence to airline ground handling. Their mission is to improve workplace safety and reliability by automating backbreaking tasks like baggage handling. Recently, the company celebrated a milestone, closing a $3.5 million seed round, signaling strong industry confidence in their vision.

Jha’s Internship

Jha’s internship at Azalea Robotics provided a unique perspective on the company’s objectives and the value of a UGA and Franklin education. Tasked with developing a baggage tracking pipeline using video streams and AI models, Jha hit the ground running. “You accomplished a pretty large chunk of work that is now the foundation for what we’re continuing to build,” Millard said, crediting her ability to work autonomously and her curiosity about the fundamentals.

Stroud highlighted Jha’s business acumen, noting her ability to think about the commercial viability of their work. “Startups live and die by their ability to sell to customers,” he said, appreciating Jha’s questions and suggestions about the business case. Her curiosity shone through in moments like a three-hour whiteboard session with Millard, diving into concepts like gradient descent, which bridged her academic background with now professional experience.

Jha, in turn, emphasized the mentorship she received. “It was really useful to have people who I could relate to in terms of our educational background,” she said, recalling a four-hour discussion about a DeepSeek research paper. “Millard was like a real-life  ChatGPT,” she joked, underscoring the value of having mentors like Millard  and Stroud, who shared her UGA roots and could guide her through complex AI concepts.

Advice for Aspiring Innovators

For UGA and Franklin students like Jha aspiring to innovate in AI, Millard and Stroud offered clear advice: lean into math. “Take as many math classes as you possibly can,” Millard urged, recommending courses in numerical optimization, continuous mathematics, and calculus on manifolds. He emphasized that UGA’s strong math and computer science faculty provide a unique opportunity to build a deep understanding of AI’s underpinnings. “It’s all going to be math,” he said, predicting its importance for future waves of innovation.

Millard also reflected on a gap in his own education: numerical optimization and functional analysis. “Understanding the mathematics of constrained optimization problems will serve you quite well,” he advised, noting that concepts like Lagrange multipliers, often introduced in multivariable calculus, are critical but underemphasized at the undergraduate level.

A Shared Journey of Growth

The interview revealed mutual growth between Jha’s internship and Azalea’s advancement. For her, the experience was a chance to apply her Franklin education, gain hands-on experience with AI and robotics, and learn from mentors who shared her academic roots. For Millard and Stroud, Jha’s contributions advanced their baggage tracking pipeline and brought fresh perspectives to their startup.

As Azalea Robotics continues to innovate, the story of this UGA trio serves as an inspiring example of how a strong academic foundation, curiosity, and collaboration can drive meaningful change in a rapidly evolving field. For current students, their message is clear: embrace the unique offers of Franklin, dive deep into the fundamentals, and seek mentors who can guide you toward the cutting edge.

Image: photo of Nikita Jha