Max Friefeld

Max Friefeld is the Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Ultra, an industrial robotics startup based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 2024 and backed by a $500,000 pre-seed round, the company develops AI-powered robots for warehouse and e-commerce fulfillment automation. Prior to launching Ultra alongside co-founders Jon Miller Schwartz and Oliver Ortlieb, he led operations teams at Boston Consulting Group, where he optimized logistics networks and developed go-to-market strategies for robotics firms. Friefeld is a three-time Y Combinator alumnus who previously co-founded two acquired hardware ventures: Layer By Layer, which was purchased by MakerBot, and Voodoo Manufacturing, which was acquired by 3D Tech. He holds a degree in Computer and Electrical Engineering from Harvey Mudd College. His career centers on scaling capital-efficient robotics ventures and optimizing supply chain logistics through advanced automation technologies.