About Arzana
Built by manufacturers, for manufacturers.
Our mission
We founded Arzana because we experienced the problem firsthand. Manufacturing offices are drowning in repetitive administrative work that keeps talented people from doing what they were hired to do: grow the business.
Robotics transformed the shop floor decades ago. We believe it's time for the same transformation in the office. Not by replacing people, but by freeing them to focus on customers, strategy, and revenue.
With offices in San Francisco and Iowa, we're embedded in the industrial community we serve. We deploy onsite, we learn your operation, and we build tools that actually work for the people using them.
News & Blog
What people are saying.
Leadership
Meet the founders
William Alexander
CEO & Co-Founder
Manufacturing sourcing background from Okoboji, Iowa. Stanford Economics & Computer Science. Founded Arzana to bring the same automation that transformed shop floors to the industrial office.
LinkedIn →“Robotics transformed the shop floor by automating repetitive jobs. Arzana does the same for the industrial office, automating mundane tasks so your team can focus on customers and growing revenue.”
Marshall Kools
Co-Founder & COO
Stanford MS Engineering + Policy. D1 Wrestler. Leads operations and go-to-market from Neenah, Wisconsin, embedded in the industrial heartland we serve.
LinkedIn →The team
The people building Arzana.
Joe Politi
Lead Founding Engineer
Menlo Park, CA
Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay area. B.S. in Physics from UC Santa Barbara. Previously a Materials Research Engineer at a green cement startup, responsible for all pilot plant operations and logistics. Avid sailor and skier.
Mason Vander Pol
Founding Field Engineer
Okoboji, IA
Grew up in Okoboji, Iowa where he founded and later sold a facilities cleaning & maintenance business serving manufacturing business owners. Studied Bioengineering at Iowa State University. Deploys to plants to configure Arzana tools for customers' specific needs. Spends his free time golfing, hunting, and wakeboarding at Lake Okoboji.
3 more joining soon
What we believe
Forward deployed
We work from your facility. We learn your processes, your people, and your pain points before writing a single line of code.
Specialized, not generic
We only serve manufacturers and distributors. Every tool is built with deep industry knowledge and real operational experience.
Partners, not vendors
We value our clients as partners. We customize Arzana to work in sync with your existing systems and personnel.
Where we are
Two coasts, one mission.
San Francisco, CA
Okoboji, IA
Appleton, WI
Careers
Build the future of manufacturing.
We're a small, fast-moving team solving real problems for American manufacturers. If you want to write code that ships to production the same week, work directly with customers, and see the impact of your work on the factory floor, Arzana is the place.
No available roles at this time.
We're always looking for exceptional people. Send us a note and tell us what you'd build.
careers@arzana.comAbout Arzana - Frequently asked questions
Who founded Arzana?
Arzana was co-founded by William Alexander and Marshall Kools. William brings a manufacturing sourcing background from Okoboji, Iowa and studied Economics and Computer Science at Stanford. Marshall holds an MS in Engineering and Policy from Stanford, was a D1 wrestler, and leads operations from Neenah, Wisconsin. Both founders experienced the problem firsthand: manufacturing offices drowning in repetitive administrative work that keeps talented people from doing what they were hired to do.
Where is Arzana located?
Arzana has offices in San Francisco, California, Okoboji, Iowa, and Appleton, Wisconsin. We are intentionally embedded in the industrial heartland we serve. Our engineers deploy directly to customer facilities across the United States, spending weeks onsite learning operations before configuring the platform. This forward-deployed model ensures our tools actually work for the people using them.
What makes Arzana different from other automation companies?
Three things set Arzana apart. First, we are specialized, not generic. We only serve manufacturers and distributors, so every tool is built with deep industry knowledge. Second, we are forward-deployed. Our engineers work from your facility, learning your processes and people before writing a single line of configuration. Third, we are partners, not vendors. We customize the Arsenal to work in sync with your existing systems and personnel, and we measure our success by your outcomes.
Is Arzana hiring?
We are a small, fast-moving team solving real problems for American manufacturers. While we may not always have open roles listed, we are always looking for exceptional people who want to write code that ships to production the same week, work directly with customers, and see the impact of their work on the factory floor. Send us a note at careers@arzana.com and tell us what you would build.
How can I learn more about Arzana?
The best way to learn about Arzana is to book a personalized demo. In 30 minutes, we will show you exactly how the Arsenal can automate your specific operations. We also publish regular blog posts about manufacturing automation, AI in industry, and operational efficiency. You can find our latest thinking on the Customers page or follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.
Ready to automate your office?
Discover how Arzana can put time back in your hands for what matters most.