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These ex-Tesla supply chain managers started an AI inventory firm
The AI venture aims to revolutionize supply chain and demand management through its software platform.
Two former supply chain managers at Tesla have started their own AI inventory firm, which aims to make demand and inventory planning more efficient.
Neal Suidan, Tesla’s former Senior Manager of Global Demand Planning, and Michael Rossiter, former Director of Sales Operations and Senior Manager of Business Planning, announced the launch of Atomic on Tuesday, an AI platform geared toward supply planning. The launch was made alongside the announcement of a $3 million seed funding round from former DVx Ventures, the capital fund run by former Tesla President Jon McNeill, as well as the firm Madrona.
“Planners are the unsung heroes of consumer brands, holding together supply chains through spreadsheets and sheer force of will,” Suidan wrote in a post on LinkedIn. “But they deserve better tools. We built Atomic to be the inventory planning system we always wished we had.”
“Michael and Neil experienced this pain firsthand as leaders at Tesla in the supply chain, and I saw that work first hand — because they worked for me,” McNeill said in an interview with Tech Crunch.
The former Tesla president also explains how delicate the balance between supply and demand is, while a primary part of Atomic’s approach to the software platform is giving business operators the tools to manage these factors more quickly and easily.
“If you have too much capital tied up in inventory, you could really harm the business,” McNeill adds. “And if you have too little, where you don’t have the right things in stock when the customer is ready to purchase, then you’re costing yourself big time.”
Atomic says its AI planning software has previously helped early customers cut inventory costs by between 20 and 50 percent, allowing users to easily simulate scenarios based on real-time data and scenarios.
READ MORE ON FORMER TESLA PERSONNEL: Former Tesla executive aims to raise $50 million for energy startup
Suidan worked with Tesla for nearly six years, while Rossiter was with the company for about two years. Both of the managers also worked closely with McNeill at the time.
The former Tesla president also highlighted the difficulty in ramping Model 3 production as part of the project’s inspiration, a period that Elon Musk has said brought the company weeks away from bankruptcy and had him sleeping on the Fremont factory floor.
McNeill also recalled the Model 3 production ramp in a post on LinkedIn:
Back in 2018, we had a big problem at Tesla.
We needed to scale Model 3 production from 20k to 100k cars per quarter. But the existing supply chain systems simply couldn’t handle this growth. With only a month of cash left, we had to keep the cars moving.
We were far too dependent on spreadsheets for planning. They couldn’t keep up with the business and it was having a serious negative impact.
Neal Suidan and Michael Rossiter, both leading global demand planning, created something remarkable out of necessity: a unit-level planning system that could simulate and track individual cars through the entire supply chain and match them to demand. This reduced Tesla’s inventory from 75 days to just 15, unlocking billions of dollars in working capital at a time when every dollar mattered.
Fast forward 7 years and it occurred to us that thousands of companies can use this. They are now bringing that framework to customers with Atomic.
Several former Tesla employees and executives have gone on to start their own firms, most recently including former SVP Drew Baglino, who announced the grid hardware venture Heron Power last week. Another notable one includes JB Straubel, a Tesla co-founder, who went on to start the battery recycling company Redwood Materials.
This former Tesla engineer now heads a federal tech department
The Tesla Semi was spotted mounted with ground truth validation equipment as the company nears its looming launch. The Semi is Tesla’s Class 8 all-electric truck, and has been utilized in its earlier stages by many companies like PepsiCo. and Frito-Lay, who have been using it in a pilot program.
The Semi was spotted in Sunnyvale, California, and sports a typical ground truth validation unit that Tesla routinely uses on its vehicles. Ground truth validation is essentially the process of training supervised algorithms to ensure they can perform reliably. Tesla typically performs this on vehicles that are being released soon:
Spotted the new semi adorned with ground truthing equipment. Haven’t seen anyone post this so figured I’d share.
The future is autonomous!!@SawyerMerritt @wholemars pic.twitter.com/qkPDHPUQZ6
— Danny (@dannywinner1) June 21, 2026
The Semi being spotted with this type of validation rig is important because it means the company is working on solidifying a Full Self-Driving model for its commercial vehicle offering. This would be a massive development for not only Tesla but also the logistics industry as a whole.
There are strict regulations on driving hours for commercial truck drivers, and autonomy is a way to potentially combat these issues. FSD is already a widely effective way that owners of typical passenger vehicles take stress out of travel. Even launching a semi-autonomous platform for truck drivers to use to increase safety, reduce fatigue, and increase productivity would be a huge development.
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The Semi has already proven to be an ideal solution for companies that use commercial logistics. It has increased efficiency and reduced operating costs for many companies that have been able to use it in pilot programs.
There are expected to be some bumps along the way. Tesla saw some challenges with FSD on the Cybertruck, as it had never had a vehicle with cameras at that height, so some of the features with FSD were not immediately available. Just a week ago, Tesla launched Actually Smart Summon (ASS) for Cybertruck, nearly three years after the vehicle was first delivered to customers.
President Donald Trump unveiled an upgraded Boeing 747-8 at Joint Base Andrews on June 19, 2026, describing the Qatar-gifted aircraft as an interim Air Force One equipped with advanced communications systems, including Starlink, Elon Musk’s SpaceX satellite internet service.
The plane, valued at around $400 million and modified for presidential use, serves as a bridge until the delayed VC-25B replacements arrive. Trump highlighted its luxury features and new technology during remarks to service members.
Trump stated:
“We have communication equipment up there that nobody’s ever seen before. It’s the highest level and, uh, including Starlink. My friend Elon is going to be very happy, but, uh, Starlink and we have, uh, four or five different sets of double and triple communications like people haven’t seen.”
He added:
“And it represents what can happen with hard work, innovation, and aggressive timelines because we did this quickly and yet there’s never been communication like is on this plane.”
🚨 President Trump confirmed today that the new Air Force One is equipped with Starlink:
“We have communication equipment up there that nobody’s ever seen before, it’s the highest level and including Starlink…my friend Elon is going to be very happy.” pic.twitter.com/IhkDmtr5hL
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) June 20, 2026
The aircraft features a redesigned red, white, and blue livery and has been outfitted with Starlink satellite connectivity alongside other secure systems.
Trump praised the plane’s uniqueness, calling it among the world’s most luxurious. The gift from Qatar and subsequent modifications have drawn attention, with the jet positioned as a solution for presidential travel. It is expected to support operations, including potential ceremonial roles such as Fourth of July flyovers.
The event marked the formal introduction of the converted jet, which will help maintain capabilities while the primary Air Force One fleet undergoes modernization. Defense observers note the inclusion of commercial satellite technology like Starlink as part of efforts to ensure resilient communications, crucial to keep the country running as the President is in the sky.
President Trump’s comments underscored appreciation for rapid upgrades and innovation in equipping the aircraft. The plane remains a U.S. government asset and is slated for eventual transfer related to presidential library purposes after its service.
Tesla just gave what is perhaps its biggest signal yet that the launch of the Cybercab, its autonomous ride-hailing-geared car, is imminent.
The Cybercab has been spotted outside of Gigafactory Texas in massive numbers over the past few days, with hundreds of units being stored on property just days after the vehicle received a Certificate of Conformity from the EPA.
Today, things were a bit different.
Cybercabs spotted on Giga Texas property today had an addition: a Cybercab decal on the side, reminiscent of the “Robotaxi” ones that were placed on Model Ys just as the company launched its ride-sharing platform about a year ago.
Giga Texas drone operator Joe Tegtmeyer noticed the change today:
Tesla Cybercabs are now getting “Cybercab” logos on the side of them!
Tesla did the same with Model Ys that were given “Robotaxi” logos: https://t.co/DanANtw1m7 pic.twitter.com/FqOhH0S9Ks
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) June 19, 2026
Tesla could be signaling that the Cybercab is preparing to enter the Robotaxi fleet in the coming weeks or months with this move. It seems more symbolic than anything; Tesla is ready to throw Cybercabs in the ride-hailing platform just as it did with Model Ys last year.
The addition of the Certificate of Conformity awarded to the Cybercab is another major factor working to Tesla’s advantage. The company now has permission from the EPA to allow the vehicle to operate on public roads and enter the chain of commerce. It’s officially street legal.
Tesla Cybercab specs revealed: range, curb weight, range ratings, and more
The big question that remains is whether Tesla will be able to operate the car without a safety monitor, especially considering it plans to put the car out there without a steering wheel or pedals. With the Cybercab only having a seating capacity of two, it is hard to believe Tesla will even consider putting a Safety Monitor in the car.
It did recently self-certify as Level 4 and has the ability to operate driverless vehicles in the State of Texas under a law that took effect on May 28. You can read more about that here:
Tesla’s Robotaxi dreams just took a massive step toward reality
We’d imagine Cybercabs will be on the roads as soon as July, but August will likely be a better estimate of when the car will be entered into the Cybercab fleet. It all depends at where Tesla is, as they’ve truly prioritized safety with the rollout of the Robotaxi platform.
Tesla Semi spotted with ground truth validation equipment as launch looms
President Trump touts new Air Force One with Musk technology
