In this episode, I sit down with Rishabh Agarwal, co-founder and CEO of Peer Robotics. Coming from a manufacturing family, Rishabh shares how his background and passion for machines led him to robotics and the founding of Peer Robotics. We discuss the company's mission to simplify automation for small and medium-scale manufacturers through collaborative mobile robots that learn in real time from humans. Key Discussion Points: - Rishabh's journey from IIT and University of Maryland to foundin...
In this episode, we take you on a captivating journey through the last nine episodes of our podcast, where we've had the privilege of hosting experts and thought leaders from the AI and tech world. From revolutionizing food service to streamlining e-commerce, optimizing piece picking processes, enhancing healthcare, providing opportunities for start-up tech business, and even strengthening national defense, our guests have showcased the transformative power of artificial intelligence across d...
In this episode, we sit down with Fady Saad, founder of Cybernetix Ventures, a trailblazing venture capital firm that's been reshaping the landscape of early-stage investments in robotics, automation, and AI. Fady takes us on a captivating journey through his evolution in the tech realm, starting from his early days as an entrepreneur to his current role as a guiding force behind promising startups. With insights drawn from personal experience, he shares invaluable tips on how to approach inv...
In this episode of Machine Minds, we sit down with Saurav Agarwal, the Director of Engineering at Shield AI, a pioneering tech company dedicated to leveraging AI and technology to protect service members and civilians. Saurav provides a glimpse of his journey from being a start-up business founder to joining one of the leaders in the autonomous flight and defense industry. We talk about the advantages of collaborations within the AI space and the roadblocks that limit the full cooperation f...
In this episode of Machine Minds, we step into the future of medical innovation with our guest Derek Pietz, the Director of Automation Equipment and Test Engineering at Intuitive, a company renowned for pioneering robotic-assisted surgery. In this episode, Derek takes us on an extraordinary journey, tracing his path from early aspirations to becoming a driving force behind the intersection of robotics and healthcare. Derek unveils the core of Intuitive's groundbreaking work, emphasizing the...
In today's episode of The Machine Minds Show, we delve into the fascinating world of food automation and robotics with our special guest, Buck Jordan. Buck is the CEO and Founder of Vebu Labs, a cutting-edge company at the forefront of automating the food and restaurant industry. He is also the Co-founder and President of Miso Robotics, a groundbreaking venture focusing on creating robots that eliminate dull, dirty, and dangerous tasks in restaurant kitchens. With an impressive background in ...
In today's episode of The Machine Minds Show, we delve into the dynamic world of drone defense and security with our special guest Carl Landrum, VP of Civilian Programs and Strategy at Dedrone, a pioneering company at the forefront of revolutionizing drone defense through its cutting-edge AI-Driven Autonomous C2 platform. Carl's remarkable journey from the Federal Government to the commercial industry provides a unique perspective on the challenges and opportunities of this space. Carl walk...
Join us in this enlightening episode as we dive into the fascinating world of robotics and automation with our special guest, Josh Dion, the VP of Engineering at RightHand Robotics. RightHand Robotics is a pioneering company that has been leading the charge in building a data-driven intelligent picking platform, revolutionizing order fulfillment in the age of online commerce. In this engaging conversation, Josh walks us through the complex process of developing their cutting-edge robotic pi...
Join us in this captivating episode as we sit down with Felix Alvarez, the Chief Product Officer of Vebu Labs; a leading corporate innovation studio pioneering the future of the food industry through automation. With an impressive 27-year career in the automation industry, Felix has been instrumental in creating groundbreaking products ranging from trains and submarines to toys and high-powered lasers. He even played a key role in the development of the iconic F22 Raptor. Throughout his ca...
Welcome to an exciting episode of Machine Minds. Today, we dive into the world of cutting-edge robotics that’s revolutionizing e-commerce fulfillment. Our two special guests are Chris Visnic and Mitchell Weiss from HDS Global; a trailblazing company behind the revolutionary RoboFS (Robotic Fulfillment System). Join us as we unravel their journies in robotics, the value of implementing robotics in e-commerce, and how RoboFS is changing the game for market-leading customers. Episode Highlight...
In this episode of Machine Minds, we sit down with Daniel Dreymann, the Chief Product Officer of Agot AI, a trailblazing company that deploys hassle-free artificial intelligence to empower frontline food workers and ensure exceptional service in restaurants. Join us as we delve into the fascinating world of AI's impact on overwhelmed restaurants, exploring topics such as guest experience, speed of service, order accuracy, employee retention, and the opportunities and challenges of incorporati...
Welcome to Machine Minds, the show where we dive deep into the intricate world of robotics and artificial intelligence. I'm your host, Greg Toroosian, a staffing industry leader with a passion for the frontiers of technology. In each episode, we bring you intimate conversations with the founders, investors, and trailblazers who are at the heart of the AI and robotics revolution. We dig into their journeys, the challenges they've overcome, and the breakthroughs that are shaping our future. Joi...
Construction is one of the world’s most complex, risk-filled, and operationally fragmented industries — and also one of the last to benefit from automation. At Raise Robotics, CTO Rishabh Aggarwal is helping change that. From capturing diesel soot to turn into ink, to designing CubeSats at NASA, to building autonomous harvesting robots in ag-tech, Rishabh’s journey has always been about one thing: building real technology that solves real problems.  In this episode, he breaks down ho...
From satellite missions and drone startups to international development work in Haiti, Peter Haas has carved one of the most unconventional and globally minded paths in robotics. Today, he’s combining decades of experience across academia, entrepreneurship, government, and humanitarian work to answer a pivotal question: How can robotics and AI help the half of the world living on less than $5.50 a day? In this episode, Peter shares his journey - from working on NASA’s Gravity Probe B, to co...
From retrofitting automation into existing warehouses to redefining how fast robotics can be deployed, SIMPL Automation is pioneering a more flexible, less disruptive path toward warehouse transformation. In this episode, Ayman Labib, co-founder and CEO of SIMPL Automation, shares how his 25+ years in manufacturing and integration led him to build a company that’s challenging the traditional timelines, costs, and risks of warehouse automation. We explore how adaptive ASRS (Automated Storage a...
Florian shares his journey from cryptography researcher to big tech product leader — at companies like Microsoft, Adobe, and Facebook — and how that experience inspired him to tackle one of robotics’ biggest challenges: making robots work together seamlessly across diverse fleets and environments. From interoperability and observability to performance and safety, this episode explores how InOrbit.AI is building the connective tissue of the robotics world — a “Google Translate for robots” tha...
From printing parts in combat zones to creating a rugged, mobile printer that works on land, sea, and air — Crater’s mission is transforming logistics and supply chains for the military. Eric shares how the company was born from collaboration with the Marine Corps, what it means to innovate under pressure, and why continuous, in-motion 3D printing could change how we build and repair in the most extreme conditions. Highlights: - Eric’s early days in the rep-rap era of DIY 3D printing and ho...
Kevin shares his 20-year journey from building self-driving cars and moon landers to leading autonomy at Waymo and now building machines that can literally move mountains. From lessons learned in scaling robotics startups to his philosophy on product milestones and company culture, this conversation dives deep into the realities of building technology that transforms the physical world. Highlights: - Why the best companies balance short-term sustainable business models with long-term transf...
Ryan and I dig into the legal backbone founders skip until it hurts—how to build an IP strategy that actually matches your business, when patents vs. trade secrets make sense, and why a “north star” patent plan should track where you’re going in 5–10 years, not just what you’re shipping today. We also get into the investor lens on patents (signal, diligence transparency, and moat), what happens to IP if the company pivots—or even shuts down—and why a fractional or early GC can save you 10x th...
I sat down with Manas Punhani, Senior Associate at Woven Capital (Toyota’s growth fund), to dig into how growth investors judge traction, price risk, and help founders scale in industrial tech, robotics, and “physical AI.” We broke down what Toyota’s backing really changes, how to balance moonshots with near-term wins, and the operational details factories care about beyond pure throughput. What we cover How growth investors read “proof points,” set milestones, and think about $50M–$100M reve...