February 3, 2026

Robots & Pencils Achieves Amazon Web Services (AWS) Advanced Tier Partner Status

Robots & Pencils

Milestone reinforces Robots & Pencils’ strength in building and operating cloud-native and AI-enabled systems on AWS

Robots & Pencils, an applied AI engineering partner known for high-velocity delivery and measurable business outcomes, today announced it has achieved AWS Advanced Tier Partner status. The designation marks a significant milestone in the company’s continued growth, delivering production-grade systems on AWS for enterprise organizations.

Explore how Robots & Pencils delivers applied AI and cloud-native systems built to operate at enterprise scale.

AWS Advanced Tier Recognition Reflects Production-grade Delivery at Enterprise Scale

AWS Advanced Tier Partner status recognizes organizations with demonstrated depth in AWS delivery, technical expertise, and customer success at scale. Partners at this level consistently design, build, and operate secure, resilient, and scalable systems running in production. Robots & Pencils earned this designation through sustained enterprise delivery, a strong bench of AWS-certified engineers, and real-world workloads running on AWS.

A High-Velocity Alternative to Traditional Global Systems Integrators

Robots & Pencils operates as a nimble alternative to traditional global systems integrators, pairing AWS-native architecture with a relentless focus on velocity and impact. Small, senior, highly focused teams move quickly from idea to execution, delivering production-ready systems that create value early and improve continuously through real-world learning.

“Our AWS Advanced Tier designation continues to build on strong momentum as we strengthen our relationship with AWS,” said Len Pagon Jr., Chief Executive Officer of Robots & Pencils. “In December, we were selected as one of 11 AWS Partners out of more than 190,000 to join the new Pattern Partner program. In January, we launched our Bellevue, WA Innovation Center next door to AWS HQ to work closely with the AWS GenAIIC team. Now, as an AWS Advanced Tier Services Partner, we have access to additional AWS funding for proofs of concept and substantial resources to support our clients.”

Building and Operating Generative and Agentic AI Systems that Scale

Enterprise leaders continue accelerating modernization and AI initiatives that demand speed, reliability, and operational maturity.

AWS Advanced Tier status signals that Robots & Pencils brings disciplined execution and rapid iteration to move confidently from strategy to production and scale. Clients gain earlier insight, reduced delivery risk, and steady progress aligned to clear business outcomes.

“Enterprises are moving quickly toward generative and agentic AI systems that operate as an enablement layer of their business,” said Jeff Kirk, Executive Vice President of Applied AI at Robots & Pencils. “AWS provides a powerful foundation, and our role is to design and deliver AI systems that integrate securely, perform reliably, and scale with confidence. Advanced Tier recognition affirms our ability to move AI from ambition into production.”

Certified Talent and Engineering Discipline Behind AWS Advanced Tier Recognition

The AWS Advanced Tier recognition also reflects the company’s investment in certified talent, security discipline, and operational excellence.

“AWS Advanced Tier status is earned through consistency, accountability, and a deep commitment to craft,” said Nicholas Waynik, Vice President of Engineering at Robots & Pencils. “Our engineers invested the time to master the platform, earn the certifications, and apply that knowledge to systems running in production. This recognition reflects the standards they hold themselves to every day and the trust our clients place in their work.”

Enterprise-ready AI Architectures Delivering Impact Across Industries

Robots & Pencils also holds AWS Pattern Partner recognition, highlighting its strength in delivering repeatable, enterprise-ready architectures for applied AI and intelligent systems. This capability complements Advanced Tier status by reinforcing architectural leadership alongside delivery maturity, while maintaining a clear focus on execution that performs in production.

Robots & Pencils delivers application modernization, cloud-native product development, data platforms, and AI-enabled systems on AWS across Consumer Products and Retail, Education, Energy, Financial Services, Healthcare, and Manufacturing. These solutions support regulated environments, high-growth digital products, and complex enterprise ecosystems where reliability and scalability matter every day.

Request an AI briefing to evaluate how applied AI can deliver velocity and impact within your organization.

January 7, 2026

Robots & Pencils Opens Studio for Generative and Agentic AI in Bellevue

Robots & Pencils

The Seattle-area AI Studio is live, growing, and hiring engineers and builders ready to deliver impact at velocity.

Robots & Pencils, an applied AI engineering partner known for high-velocity delivery and measurable business outcomes, today announced the opening of its Studio for Generative and Agentic AI in Bellevue.

Candidates seeking high-impact engineering, data, and design roles can learn more at robotsandpencils.com/careers.

A Strategic Expansion to Meet Demand for Rapid Enterprise AI

The Studio in downtown Bellevue is fully operational and actively building its founding team as enterprise demand accelerates for AI systems that move from experimentation to production with speed, precision, and accountability.

The Studio expands Robots & Pencils’ AI-native delivery model and represents a significant step in the company’s U.S. growth, supported by global operations in Cleveland, Calgary, Toronto, Bogota, and Lviv. It adds meaningful capacity to support organizations launching AI-enabled products, platforms, and agentic systems at scale.

Strong Leadership Driving Focus and Velocity

The Studio in Bellevue operates under the leadership of Jeff Kirk, Executive Vice President of Applied AI at Robots & Pencils, and reinforces the company’s growing presence in the Pacific Northwest while serving global clients pursuing ambitious AI initiatives.

“This Studio is designed for builders who want real ownership and real impact,” said Kirk. “We are bringing together experienced teams who move quickly, think clearly, and take responsibility for outcomes. Our Studio model gives people the trust and focus to make strong decisions and deliver AI systems that translate directly into business value.”

Working with AWS to Accelerate Enterprise AI Delivery

As an Amazon Web Services Partner located near Amazon headquarters, the Studio in Bellevue supports clients building and scaling AI solutions on Amazon Bedrock, Amazon SageMaker, Amazon Bedrock AgentCore, Amazon Quick Suite, and related AWS services. This proximity strengthens collaboration and supports faster experimentation and production-ready delivery for complex enterprise environments.

Robots & Pencils was recently selected as one of 11 inaugural partners in the invite-only AWS Pattern Partners program. The program works with a select group of consulting partners to define how enterprises adopt next-generation AI and emerging technologies on AWS through validated, repeatable patterns.

This recognition acknowledges Robots & Pencils’ experience delivering production-grade AI architectures for enterprise customers. Working with AWS, the company supports secure and scalable AI delivery across regulated and high-impact industries while enabling teams to move with clarity and confidence from design through deployment.

A Destination for Elite AI Builders

The Studio for Generative and Agentic AI reflects Robots & Pencils’ long-standing commitment to talent density and engineering craft. Employees average fifteen years of experience and contribute patents, published research, and category-defining products across industries. The Studio in Bellevue offers engineers, applied AI specialists, product leaders, and user experience innovators the opportunity to shape a new hub while influencing high-stakes client work from the ground up.

“To support our substantial client demand, we need incredible GenAI talent and are significantly investing in how we work with AWS. Our Bellevue AI Studio places our teams in close proximity to AWS, creating an environment that supports knowledge sharing and enables us to tap into the Seattle-area hot bed of incredible, wicked-smart talent,” said Len Pagon Jr., CEO of Robots & Pencils. “The Bellevue location expands our ability to deliver applied AI outcomes at scale while creating an environment where experienced builders can do the most meaningful work of their careers. This expansion reflects confidence in our teams and the direction we are taking the company.”

Velocity Pods Deliver AI Products in Weeks

Teams in the Studio operate in industry-focused Velocity Pods supporting Education, Energy, Financial Services, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Transportation, and Retail and CPG. These pods launch AI generative and agentic products to market in 30-to-45-day cycles while addressing complex modernization and intelligent automation programs across the enterprise.

Now Hiring for AI Engineering Jobs in Bellevue

Robots & Pencils is actively staffing the Studio for Generative and Agentic AI in Bellevue and invites experienced engineers and builders to apply. Open roles span engineering, applied AI, product, and design.

Interested candidates can explore opportunities and submit applications at robotsandpencils.com/careers.

The Studio in Bellevue opens with momentum, leadership, and a clear mandate to build AI solutions that matter.

The pace of AI change can feel relentless with tools, processes, and practices evolving almost weekly. We help organizations navigate this landscape with clarity, balancing experimentation with governance, and turning AI’s potential into practical, measurable outcomes. If you’re looking to explore how AI can work inside your organization—not just in theory, but in practice—we’d love to be a partner in that journey. Request an AI briefing.

December 2, 2025

Accelerating Innovation with AWS: Robots & Pencils Selected as an AWS Pattern Partner

Robots & Pencils

Today, Robots & Pencils joins AWS as a launch partner in the AWS Pattern Partners program, an invite-only initiative that works with a select cohort of consulting partners to define how enterprises adopt next generation AI and emerging technologies on AWS.

As a Pattern Partner, Robots & Pencils brings proven success with emerging technologies on AWS, including AI/ML, Generative/Agentic AI, Robotics, Space Technology, and Quantum. The program focuses on accelerating enterprise adoption through repeatable, scalable patterns that encode tested ways to solve specific business problems, with architecture, controls, and delivery practices that have already been validated with customers.

For customers, selection of Robots & Pencils into this program signals that AWS has reviewed and endorsed both the outcomes and the operating model behind the work delivered in these domains. Enterprises that face pressure to modernize critical processes, adopt AI safely, and respond to new regulatory and security requirements gain access to patterns that have already delivered measurable results.

Pattern Partners also sets a clear horizon view for emerging technology. In the near term, it concentrates on AI/ML, Generative & Agentic AI patterns, including sub domains such as Process to Agent (P2A), Agent to Agent (A2A), Responsible AI, and RegAI. Over the midterm, the program extends these capabilities into connected environments that use Robotics, IoT, and Edge and Space Technology on AWS. For the long term, it explores Quantum and next generation enterprise innovations, aligning new capabilities with existing AWS investments in data, AI, and security as they mature into reliable patterns.

Our Pattern: Enterprise Document Intelligence Platform

At the heart of the participation of Robots & Pencils in Pattern Partners is a flagship pattern that the company is co-developing and scaling with AWS.

The Customer Problem

Organizations in Energy, Manufacturing, and Health & Wellness face a common set of challenges. Data and workflows sit in disconnected systems, which slows AI adoption and creates duplicated effort. Teams find it difficult to govern AI models and agents at enterprise scale, especially when regulations and internal standards move quickly. Talent and process gaps make it hard to adopt new technology in a way that satisfies risk, compliance, and operational leaders.

Our Joint Approach with AWS

Together with AWS, Robots & Pencils has designed the Enterprise Document Intelligence Platform. This pattern combines an architecture built natively on AWS using Amazon Bedrock, Amazon SageMaker, and Amazon Bedrock AgentCore, an operating model with clear roles, runbooks and guardrails for IT, data, security and business teams, and accelerators such as pre-built integrations, automations, policies, templates, dashboards and agents. This pattern is being refined through a time boxed incubation with a set of lighthouse customers. As it matures, it is packaged as a Pattern Package so that more joint customers can adopt it rapidly with consistent results.

Early Results

Early adopters are already reporting tangible outcomes from the Robots & Pencils’ Enterprise Document Intelligence Platform. With 2 million interactions across 100,000+ users, customers reported a 90% satisfaction score and 40% improved confidence in responses from the pattern.

As these results are validated across additional lighthouse customers, the Pattern Package becomes available to AWS field teams globally. This enables customers in new regions and sectors to benefit from the same proven approach without restarting design from the beginning.

How the Pattern Partners Program Works with Customers

When a customer engages Robots & Pencils through the Pattern Partners program, the engagement starts from a proven blueprint, not from scratch. The Pattern Package already encodes successful implementations, including architectures, guardrails, and playbooks. Customers receive coordinated support from AWS specialists, the AWS Consulting COE Pattern Partner team and experts from Robots & Pencils across consulting, engineering, and product.

The program design supports fast yet responsible experimentation. Customers can move from idea to live pilot while maintaining enterprise grade security, compliance and governance. The pattern also includes a clear path from pilot to scale, so organizations can extend from initial deployments to cross region and multi business unit rollouts with ongoing optimization.

Being part of the AWS Pattern Partners program allows Robots & Pencils to bring emerging AWS capabilities such as Generative AI and Agentic applications to customers earlier. Guardrails and controls stay clear and well defined. The company can turn its strongest customer successes into repeatable assets that benefit a wider set of organizations. Collaboration with AWS field teams, solution architects and service teams keeps the pattern aligned with the latest platform innovation. Robots & Pencils also contributes back to the broader AWS partner ecosystem by sharing learnings and raising the standard for how emerging technology is adopted. For customers, this approach reduces risk, increases predictability, and accelerates business impact from AWS investments.

Partner Perspective

“Joining AWS Pattern Partners is a strategic milestone for Robots & Pencils,” said Jeff Kirk, Executive Vice President of Applied AI, Robots & Pencils. “With our Enterprise Document Intelligence Platform, we turn our strongest customer wins into a clear, repeatable path to reduce onboarding time for customers in need of intelligent search, and increased confidence in the accuracy of the results, so customers can move from pilots to production with greater speed, control and confidence.”

AWS Perspective

“AWS created Pattern Partners to work with a select cohort of builders who can set the standard for how enterprises adopt emerging technology on AWS. Robots & Pencils brings deep expertise in KnowledgeOps, including RAG and compound systems, and a proven pattern in the Enterprise Document Intelligence Platform that is already delivering measurable outcomes for customers,” said Brian Bohan, Managing Director of Consulting COE, AWS. “We look forward to scaling this work together and bringing these benefits to more joint customers across industries.”

Next Steps

Customers interested in these patterns can speak with Robots & Pencils through Robotsandpencils.com/contact to review current challenges and identify which patterns are most relevant.

Those that want to explore Enterprise Document Intelligence Platform in depth or learn how the AWS Pattern Partners program could support their own roadmap can request a focused discovery session. In that conversation, AWS and Robots & Pencils work with stakeholders to map business challenges to the pattern, estimate potential impact, and define a practical path to adoption.

Together, AWS and Robots & Pencils look forward to turning critical business challenges into repeatable, scalable patterns for growth.

Key Takeaways

Robots & Pencils has been selected as a launch partner in the invite-only AWS Pattern Partners program, recognizing leadership in next generation AI and emerging technologies.
The joint Enterprise Document Intelligence Platform provides a validated, repeatable pattern that helps enterprises adopt Generative and Agentic AI with confidence.
The pattern incorporates AWS native services such as Amazon Bedrock, Amazon SageMaker, and Amazon Bedrock AgentCore, along with an operating model, runbooks, guardrails, and pre-built accelerators.
Early lighthouse customers report strong outcomes including high satisfaction, increased confidence in accuracy, and millions of successful interactions.
The program gives organizations a faster, clearer path from idea to pilot to full scale rollout, supported by coordinated teams across AWS and Robots & Pencils.
Enterprises gain access to patterns that reduce risk, increase predictability, and produce measurable business impact from AWS investments.

FAQs

What is the AWS Pattern Partners program?

It is an invite-only AWS initiative that works with a select group of consulting partners to define how enterprises adopt next generation AI and emerging technologies through validated, repeatable patterns.

Why was Robots & Pencils selected as a Pattern Partner?

AWS recognized the company’s proven outcomes across AI and emerging technologies, as well as its track record delivering measurable results with scalable architectures and operating models.

What is the Enterprise Document Intelligence Platform?

It is a jointly designed pattern that uses AWS native services and accelerators to help organizations unify data, streamline governance, and deploy Generative and Agentic AI across complex environments.

Which AWS technologies power the pattern?

Key services include Amazon Bedrock, Amazon SageMaker, and Amazon Bedrock AgentCore, along with AWS controls, security practices, and operational frameworks.

Who benefits most from this pattern?

Enterprises in sectors like Energy, Manufacturing, and Health and Wellness that face challenges with disconnected data, evolving regulations, and the need for responsible AI adoption at scale.

What results have early adopters seen?

Customers reported 2 million interactions across more than 100,000 users, a 90 percent satisfaction score, and a 40 percent improvement in confidence in response accuracy.

How does the program support faster innovation?

Organizations begin with a proven blueprint rather than a blank page. This accelerates pilots while maintaining enterprise grade governance and provides a clear pathway to large scale deployment.

How do customers engage?

Teams can connect through Robotsandpencils.com/contact to discuss current challenges or request a focused discovery session to understand fit, impact potential, and next steps.

What does this mean for long term innovation?

The program continually extends into new domains, guiding enterprises through emerging capabilities such as Robotics, IoT, Space Technology, and Quantum as they mature into reliable patterns.

December 1, 2025

Robots & Pencils Plans Seattle-area Expansion with Studio for Generative & Agentic AI

Robots & Pencils

The Bellevue, Washington investment opens pathways for forward deployed engineers and builders seeking career-defining work in applied AI.

Robots & Pencils, an applied AI engineering partner known for high velocity delivery and measurable business outcomes, today announced plans to open a Seattle-area Studio for Generative & Agentic AI office in downtown Bellevue in early January 2026. The expansion fuels the next phase of growth for the company’s AI-native Studio and strengthens North American delivery, as demand for AI-enabled product engineering accelerates across the United States. As an Amazon Web Services (AWS) Partner, the Bellevue location, with its proximity to Amazon headquarters, is a natural site to accelerate client AI solutions on Amazon Bedrock, Amazon SageMaker, Amazon Bedrock AgentCore, and more.

Candidates seeking high-impact engineering roles can learn more at robotsandpencils.com/careers.

The new Studio reflects a growing U.S. footprint supported by existing global operations in Cleveland, Calgary, Toronto, Bogotá, and Lviv. The Studio organizes cross-functional product, engineering, data, and design talent into vertical industry-focused pods that support sectors such as Education, Energy, Financial Services, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Transportation, and Retail/CPG. The presence in the Seattle area adds meaningful engineering capacity and enhances support for clients pursuing ambitious AI programs and large-scale modernization work.

“The investment in Bellevue and access to deep talent in the Pacific Northwest gives our teams and our clients a powerful new chapter,” said Len Pagon Jr., CEO of Robots & Pencils. “The engineering expertise in this region aligns perfectly with our Studio strategy. We see tremendous opportunities to grow our talent base, strengthen delivery, and help organizations reach AI outcomes that advance their businesses. Our teams are energized by this expansion and ready for the momentum ahead.”

Jeff Kirk, Executive Vice President of Applied AI at Robots & Pencils, will lead the Bellevue studio. “The Studio in Bellevue is a pivotal investment in our client and talent strategy,” said Kirk. “Engineers and builders in this region bring the experience and ambition that shape industry-defining solutions. Speed matters, and our Studio structure is designed for launching AI products to market every 30 to 45 days. The Seattle-area strengthens the engineering capacity required to deliver that velocity at scale. We look forward to building a team that thrives on complex challenges and produces work that matters.”

Robots & Pencils continues to invest in environments where elite talent can perform at the highest level. The company is known for its talent density, with teams averaging fifteen years of experience and contributing patents, published research, and category-shaping products across industries. The Studio creates space for engineers, applied AI specialists, product leaders, and user experience innovators to influence major client engagements and shape a new hub from the ground up. It anchors work in AI systems, agents and agentic workflows, digital modernization, intelligent automation, and data-driven product innovation.

Interested applicants can explore open roles at robotsandpencils.com/careers. The Studio is ready for builders who want to shape the next era of AI solutions with momentum and purpose.

November 6, 2025

Robots & Pencils Brings Its Applied AI Engineering Expertise to AWS re:Invent 2025

Robots & Pencils

As AI reshapes every industry, Robots & Pencils leads with applied intelligence that drives measurable business advantages.

Robots & Pencils, an applied AI engineering partner, will attend AWS re:Invent 2025, taking place December 1–5 in Las Vegas, joining global builders and business leaders shaping the future of cloud, data, and AI.

Schedule time to connect with the Robots & Pencils team at AWS re:Invent.

Robots & Pencils enables ambitious teams to move faster, build smarter, and deliver measurable results. With proven systems and elite engineering talent, the company modernizes, activates AI, and scales intelligent products across leading cloud platforms.

“Leaders of organizations are seeking methods to speed up time-to-market and modernize work,” said Jeff Kirk, Executive Vice President of Applied AI at Robots & Pencils. “AI is a strategic advantage that increases the velocity of how organizations deliver on customer needs. That’s where we live, turning data, and design into intelligence that moves the business forward.”

Where traditional systems integrators scale with headcount, Robots & Pencils scales with small, nimble teams and compounding systems that learn, adapt, and accelerate impact. Through a continuous cycle of piloting, scaling, calibration, and operationalization, the company helps clients move from idea to implementation with speed and confidence. By combining automation with human-in-the-loop intelligence, Robots & Pencils compresses months of research, design, and development into weeks, driving faster outcomes and sharper market alignment.

Across industries such as Financial Services, Education, Healthcare, Energy, Transportation, Industrial Manufacturing, and CPG/Retail, Robots & Pencils helps organizations modernize systems, activate intelligent automation, and deliver products that evolve with the business.

The team will be in Las Vegas throughout the week. Schedule a meeting with Robots & Pencils at AWS re:Invent.

October 20, 2025

Robots & Pencils Launches “Rewired: The New AI Architecture of Higher Education”

Robots & Pencils

As the world’s top education innovators gather at ASU’s Agentic AI Summit and EDUCAUSE, Robots & Pencils unveils a bold blueprint for the intelligent university.

Robots & Pencils, an Applied AI Engineering Partner that helps universities and enterprises modernize applications and increase the speed of productivity, today announced the launch of Rewired: The New Architecture of Higher Education. This three-part thought leadership series challenges universities to reinvent how they define, deliver, and prove learning in the age of AI.

As AI reshapes every dimension of learning from admissions to advising, research to retention, Robots & Pencils offers a vision for what intelligent universities can become.

Start reading Rewired: The New AI Architecture of Higher Education.

Arriving as higher education leaders converge for the Agentic AI and the Student Experience Summit at Arizona State University and the EDUCAUSE Annual Conference, Rewired explores how institutions can move from digital transformation to institutional intelligence, building systems that learn, adapt, and evolve alongside their students.

“The next era of higher education will be defined by who learns fastest,” said Kristina Gralak, Client Strategy Analyst at Robots & Pencils and author of the series. “Agentic AI is transforming what it means to be student-centered. The universities that win will rewire their infrastructure for intelligence, creating systems that personalize experiences, validate skills, and connect learning to lifelong opportunity.”

The three essays within Rewired trace higher education’s most urgent frontiers:

The New AI Architecture of Higher Education: Why enrollment decline is an opportunity to expand who institutions serve and build unified, lifelong learning ecosystems.

How Higher Education Proves Value in the Skills Economy: How AI and verifiable credentials will rebuild trust between universities, students, and employers.

The Invisible Infrastructure That Determines Higher Education Success: Why operational intelligence, data integration, and cloud modernization are the true differentiators of the next decade.

“Kristina’s series captures the intersection of vision and engineering,” said Jeff Kirk, Executive Vice President of Applied AI at Robots & Pencils. “Every institution seeks to enhance the student experience, yet few realize that progress begins with the invisible systems: the data, cloud, and AI engines that make intelligence possible. Rewired shows what it takes to connect strategy with reality.”

From intelligent tutoring systems to AI-powered credential networks, Rewired outlines how forward-thinking universities can turn experimentation into institutional evolution. It is a call to action for higher education leaders to design for the lifelong learners of tomorrow and to embrace an AI-driven future where universities think, adapt, and evolve as intelligently as the students they serve.

September 22, 2025

Robots & Pencils to Sponsor and Exhibit at Agentic AI and the Student Experience Conference

Robots & Pencils

AI-first consultancy joins higher ed leaders to explore how agentic AI is reshaping the student journey

Robots & Pencils, an AI-first, global digital innovation firm specializing in cloud-native web, mobile, and app modernization, today announced its sponsorship and participation in Agentic AI and the Student Experience, hosted by Arizona State University (ASU). As a Silver Sponsor, exhibitor, and active participant, Robots & Pencils will engage with education leaders from around the world October 22–24, 2025, at the Omni Tempe Hotel at ASU.

See how Robots & Pencils blends AI, cloud, and design to shape the future of education.

The three-day event convenes higher education professionals and technology innovators to explore how agentic AI, systems that not only respond but proactively decide and solve problems, is revolutionizing the student experience.

“Higher education is at a turning point, and agentic AI represents a breakthrough opportunity to enhance every stage of the student journey, from admissions to graduation and beyond,” said Leonard Pagon, CEO of Robots & Pencils. “We’re proud to join ASU, AWS, and other higher-education leaders to showcase what’s possible when cloud-native design, intelligent systems, and human-centered experiences come together. This is about accelerating AI readiness and charting the future of the student experience.”

Robots & Pencils brings deep expertise to the higher education sector, having partnered with ASU on a multi-year transformation to unify academic data, streamline credential management, and expand student engagement through secure, scalable platforms. As an AWS Partner, the firm builds AI-ready, cloud-native systems that deliver speed, security, and scale across higher- ed institutions.

“Education stands at the edge of a new frontier with agentic AI, where AI systems are proactive, adaptive and deeply personalized to enhance the student experience,” said Lev Gonick, Chief Information Officer at ASU and executive sponsor for the event. “What began as a call to convene has grown into a global gathering of more than 500 education and industry leaders who will chart the next chapter of AI in education,” Gonick continued.

Robots & Pencils will host conversations at its exhibit table in the conference lobby, where attendees can explore use cases, see demonstrations, and connect with experts on campus modernization and AI readiness. Higher education leaders attending the event are encouraged to reach out in advance to request one-on-one meetings at robotsandpencils.com/asu2025.

September 10, 2025

Jeff Kirk Named Executive Vice President of Applied AI at Robots & Pencils

Robots & Pencils

From Alexa to Emma, Kirk brings two decades of AI breakthroughs that have reshaped industries. Now he’s powering Robots & Pencils’ rise in the intelligence age.

Robots & Pencils, an AI-first, global digital innovation firm specializing in cloud-native web, mobile, and app modernization, today announced the executive appointment of Jeff Kirk as Executive Vice President of Applied AI. A seasoned technology leader with a career spanning global agencies, startups, and Fortune 100 enterprises, Kirk steps into this newly created role to accelerate the firm’s AI-first vision and unlock transformative outcomes for clients. As EVP of Applied AI, Kirk will lead the firm’s strategy and delivery of AI-powered and enterprise AI solutions across industries.

Explore how Robots & Pencils blends science and design to build market leaders.

Kirk’s track record speaks for itself, with AI breakthroughs that fueled customer engagement and business growth. He founded and scaled Moonshot, an intelligent digital products company later acquired by Pactera, where he spearheaded next-generation experiences in voice, augmented reality, and enterprise digitalization. At Amazon, he served as International Product & Technology Lead for Alexa, driving AI-powered personal assistant expansion to millions of households and users worldwide. Most recently, at bswift, Kirk led AI & Data as VP, delivering conversational AI breakthroughs with the award-winning Emma assistant and GenAI-powered EnrollPro decision support system.

Across each of these roles runs a common thread. Kirk builds and scales innovations that transform how industries work, creating technologies that move from experimental to essential at breathtaking speed.

“Jeff has been at the frontier of every major shift in digital innovation,” said Len Pagon, CEO of Robots & Pencils. “From shaping the future of eCommerce and mobile platforms at Brulant and Rosetta, to pioneering global voice AI at Amazon, to launching AI-driven customer experiences at bswift, Jeff has consistently delivered what’s next. He doesn’t just talk about AI. He builds products that millions use every day. With Jeff at the helm of Applied AI, Robots & Pencils is sharpening its challenger edge, helping clients leap ahead while legacy consultancies struggle to catch up. I’m energized by what this means for our clients and inspired by what it means for our people.”

Across two decades, Kirk has built a reputation for translating complex business requirements into enterprise-grade AI and technology solutions that scale, stick, and generate measurable results. His entrepreneurial mindset and hands-on leadership style uniquely position him to help clients experiment, activate, and operate AI across their businesses.

“Organizations and their workers are under pressure to innovate on behalf of customers while simultaneously learning to work with a new type of co-worker: artificial intelligence,” said Kirk. “The steps we take together to learn to work differently will lead to the most outsized innovation in our industries. I’m thrilled to join Robots & Pencils to push the boundaries of what’s possible with AI, to deliver outcomes that matter for our clients and their customers, and to create opportunities for our teams to do the most meaningful work of their careers.”

Kirk began his career at Brulant and Rosetta, where he worked alongside Pagon and other Robots & Pencils’ executive team members, leading engineering and solutions architecture across content, commerce, mobile, and social platforms. His return to the fold marks both a reunion and a reinvention, positioning Robots & Pencils as a leader in applied AI at scale.

August 4, 2025

Patrick Higgins Named Chief Revenue Officer at Robots & Pencils

Robots & Pencils

From IBM transformation to AI-powered product strategy, Higgins brings proven enterprise expertise and client-first vision to fuel the firm’s next phase of commercial expansion

Robots & Pencils, an AI-first, global digital innovation firm specializing in cloud-native web, mobile, and app modernization, today announced the appointment of Patrick Higgins as Chief Revenue Officer (CRO). A seasoned technology leader with over 15 years of experience driving digital innovation for Fortune 500 companies, Higgins steps into a pivotal role to deepen client partnerships, scale impact, and fuel the company’s next phase of growth.

Higgins built his career at the intersection of digital product development, enterprise transformation, and applied AI. He began at IBM delivering mission-critical programs for large government and healthcare clients. Higgins then spent nearly a decade at WillowTree, where he helped scale the firm into a full-service digital agency and led go-to-market efforts across Media, Healthcare, and most recently, AI. Over the past year alone, he has advised more than 80 organizations on how to turn AI ambitions into action through strategic governance, rapid prototyping, and practical deployment strategies.

Now, as CRO at Robots & Pencils, Higgins will lead all commercial operations, with a focus on aligning strategy, sales, and client partnerships to help organizations unlock the full potential of AI, cloud-native architecture, and next-generation experiences.

“Patrick’s ability to listen deeply, build trust, and connect business goals to technical outcomes is exceptional,” said Leonard Pagon, CEO of Robots & Pencils. “He doesn’t just understand AI—he understands how to activate it inside the enterprise. He’s helped clients across industries turn emerging tech into scalable solutions, and his presence here marks a key step in our evolution. We’re not chasing growth for growth’s sake—we’re scaling the way we serve our clients. Patrick is the right leader to ensure that growth stays grounded in trust, results, and partnership.”

Higgins joins a growing executive team committed to challenging the traditional global systems integrators with a model that prioritizes speed, strategy, and elite delivery. With global centers of excellence and strategic partnerships with AWS, Salesforce, and Databricks, Robots & Pencils is positioned to help clients move beyond experimentation and into meaningful, AI-infused transformation.

“What drew me to Robots & Pencils is the caliber of the team and the clarity of the mission,” said Higgins. “We’re not just talking about AI. We’re delivering it—wrapped in thoughtful design, modern cloud infrastructure, and agile engineering. This is a firm built to move fast and deliver real results, and I’m honored to help lead the next chapter.”

In addition to his leadership role, Higgins is an active contributor to the AI community, serving as a panelist for the University of Virginia’s AI initiatives and helping organizations demystify their path to innovation. He holds a BA and MBA from the University of Virginia and lives in Charlottesville with his family.

August 4, 2025

Nathan Carmon Named Chief Operating Officer of Robots & Pencils

Robots & Pencils

Seasoned transformation leader joins the executive team to scale AI-first growth, elevate client delivery, and drive operational excellence

Robots & Pencils, an AI-first, global digital innovation firm specializing in cloud-native web, mobile, and app modernization, today announced the appointment of Nathan Carmon as Chief Operating Officer (COO). A battle-tested operator and longtime business partner to CEO Leonard Pagon, Carmon joins at a pivotal moment to bring sharper execution, deepen client value, and accelerate the company’s AI-first momentum.

Carmon’s mandate isn’t just about growing fast—it’s about growing right. That means investing in people, refining delivery systems, and ensuring every client engagement is marked by clarity, care, and measurable impact. His arrival marks another major milestone in Robots & Pencils’ evolution from mobile pioneer to AI-first consultancy.

For more than 20 years, Carmon and Pagon have built, scaled, and sold consulting businesses together—from growing Brulant from a 25-person startup into a 500-person powerhouse, to doubling Rosetta’s scale post-acquisition. As an Operating Partner at Next Sparc, Carmon has spent the last decade turning strategy into results across a portfolio of high-growth ventures. Now, he brings that same transformation expertise to Robots & Pencils.

“Nathan is the rare kind of operator who makes complex things simple and ambitious things achievable,” said Leonard Pagon, CEO of Robots & Pencils and President of Next Sparc. “When we were building Brulant, I could count on Nathan to turn big vision into day-to-day momentum. We scaled fast because he knew how to align teams, deliver value, and move with speed and precision. With Nathan as COO, we’re not just ready for what’s next—we’re built for it.”

Carmon joins at a time when every business is under pressure to adopt AI, modernize legacy systems, and compete at digital speed. Robots & Pencils is meeting that moment with a challenger mindset, deploying high-impact, Navy SEAL-style teams that combine elite engineering with intuitive UX design. With global delivery across North America, Latin America, and Eastern Europe, and partnerships with AWS, Salesforce, and Databricks, the firm is uniquely positioned to help clients lead in the age of AI.

“I’ve helped scale consulting firms from the ground up, and I know what great looks like,” said Carmon. “Robots & Pencils has it. The talent here is exceptional, the leadership is bold, and the market timing couldn’t be better. This team has everything we need to do it again—only bigger, faster, and smarter.”

“With Nathan leading our internal operations, I’m freed up to spend more time where I create the most value—engaging directly with clients, exploring strategic opportunities, and helping shape the future of Robots & Pencils to meet market demand,” said Pagon. “That’s the power of having a leader you trust.”

Carmon holds a BS in Computer Science and an MBA from the University of Michigan. When he’s not accelerating digital transformations, he enjoys wake surfing, biking, model rocketry, and spending time with his daughter and four grandchildren.

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