Around the web ×1
Quick answers
Was Norman McKay a co-founder of Plantiga?
Yes. Plantiga's own product update of May 27, 2026, written by Quin Sandler, says: "Norman McKay was one of the co-founders of Plantiga. He was also my dad." TechCrunch reported on September 21, 2023 that Sandler "started the company as a side project with his father, Norman McKay, in 2017."
What did he bring to the company?
TechCrunch reported on September 21, 2023 that McKay "spent years around gait labs and knew if they could make a gait lab in a shoe, it would change how to monitor people's health, movement and wellness." Plantiga's May 27, 2026 update says "his name is on all of our patents and he was critical in setting the direction we're still building toward today."
What happened to him?
TechCrunch reported on September 21, 2023 that he died of aggressive prostate cancer two weeks after Plantiga landed the Seattle Mariners and LA Lakers in a proof-of-concept pilot, while the company was in Creative Destruction Lab's 2017 cohort. Plantiga's May 27, 2026 update says he died "right as the company was started".
Why is Plantiga's AI called Norman?
It is named after him. Plantiga's May 27, 2026 update says "the AI we're building now is the one he and I were brainstorming years ago, so it feels fitting that Norman is named after him." TechCrunch reported the same naming on September 21, 2023.