Building Deep Tech with Ilir Aliu Ep 93 | Scaling Is Harder Than Building The First Robot (w/ Stefan Dörr-Laukien)
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Dec 18, 2025 Stefan Dörr-Laukien, CEO of NODE Robotics, shares his journey from mechanical engineering to robotics entrepreneurship. He discusses the critical transition from research to real-world applications, emphasizing market needs over perfect technology. Stefan highlights challenges in scaling mobile robots and the importance of modular, hardware-agnostic software. The episode delves into the risks of being too technology-focused, decision-making in uncertainty, and customer trust in innovative solutions. It's an insightful look into navigating the robotics industry's complexities.
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Real-World Results Drive Research Choices
- Stefan Dörr-Laukien values building systems that actually work in the real world over purely academic results.
- His motivation came from hands-on projects like autonomous driving at BMW that let him see code control real vehicles.
Spin‑Out With Customers Already Lined Up
- NODE's founding sprang from Fraunhofer research plus industrial partners, giving the team paying customers from day one.
- The Fraunhofer AHEAD incubator and EXIST funding reduced risk and accelerated incorporation.
Market Focus Beats Tech Fascination
- Being market-driven is harder than admitting it; research teams often remain seduced by cool tech.
- Stefan warns to deeply prioritise customer problems over technical elegance for commercial success.