Voice AI for Maintenance: Zacharie Esmili on Rail, Robotics and Founding Quintess AI

Nov 17, 2025

Zacharie Esmili, Co-founder and CEO of Quintess AI, has a rich background in maintenance and robotics, having led operations at RATP Dev and Cruise. He discusses his transition from rail to autonomy and how global projects shaped his approach to durable systems. Zach shares insights into using voice AI for maintenance, emphasizing its fit for technicians' workflows. He frames maintenance as 'healthcare for equipment' and explores the challenges of introducing AI to traditional enterprises. Zach also reflects on leadership growth and his determination to solve longstanding industry issues.

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INSIGHT

Adapt To Local Context Rapidly

Adapting to local context is essential when building systems across countries and industries.
Zacharie learned to deliver fast value by admitting he didn't know everything on day one.

ANECDOTE

From Rail To Robotics

Zacharie transitioned from rail projects to autonomy after questioning how to increase public transport use.
He interned at Cruise and then joined Burro to work on autonomous farming robots, which shaped his path into robotics.

ADVICE

Find Where You Add Value First

Find where you can add the most value and focus on that instead of trying to do everything.
Prioritize tasks that will have the biggest impact on the company today.

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What if AI fit the way frontline workers actually do their jobs, instead of forcing them to fit the tools? In this episode of First Builders, hosts Amber Illig and Rachel Tsui sit down with portfolio founder Zacharie Esmili, Co-Founder & CEO of Quintess AI, a voice AI platform built for maintenance technicians and the managers who support them. Before starting Quintess AI, Zach spent nearly a decade at RATP Dev, working on rail maintenance and operations for the Paris Metro and projects across South Africa, Algeria, and China. He then moved into autonomy and robotics, helping scale technical operations and fleets at Cruise, working on autonomous farming robots at Burro, and supporting GenAI builders at Axflow. Along the way, he came to see maintenance as “healthcare for equipment” and spotted a big gap: technicians with greasy hands and heavy tools are still expected to type structured notes into clunky systems that were never designed for how they work. In this conversation, Zach shares: What global rail and fleet projects taught him about building systems that last decades How his time at Cruise and Burro shaped his view of AI in the physical world Why voice AI is a natural fit for maintenance and repair workflows How Quintess helps technicians capture better notes and managers see what is really happening on the ground The realities of selling AI into traditional industrial enterprises How his leadership style evolved from managing blue collar teams at twenty four to running a venture-backed startup Why determination and a clear vision matter more than chasing the latest AI trend It is a candid look at applying AI beyond screens and keyboards, from a first builder who has spent his career at the intersection of rail, robotics, and the real world. FOLLOW ZACHARY ESMILI LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zacharie-esmili/ Quintess AI: https://quintess.ai FOLLOW THE COUNCIL & FIRST BUILDERS Newsletter YouTube: @firstbuilderspod Instagram: @thecouncilcapital Twitter/X: @first_builders_ TikTok: @firstbuilderspod LinkedIn: The Council Chapters 00:00:00 Opening: From Paris Metro to AI Founder 00:01:09 Global Rail Operations and Learning to Adapt 00:02:15 The Leap to Autonomous Vehicles 00:03:37 Startup Life: From Seed to Scale 00:06:18 Technical Operations at Cruise 00:07:43 The Spark for Quintess AI 00:10:45 Voice AI for the Physical World 00:11:16 Enterprise AI Adoption Challenges 00:16:58 The Daily Life of Maintenance Workers 00:20:37 Healthcare for Equipment 00:23:34 Leadership Evolution Across Industries 00:30:01 Rapid Fire Playbook and Closing