Building Deep Tech with Ilir Aliu

Today, my guest is Shubham Nandi, the Co-founder of RigBetel Labs, specializing in Robot R&D Services and Consultancy: He oversees the Research and Mentorship department of RigBetel Labs, as they do research for startups and companies in robotics. Passionate about educating and empowering individuals in the ever-changing technology sector, he drives mentorship programs, enabling people to achieve their maximum potential. We discuss how the founders met in college, honed their skills through nationwide competitions, and built a successful company.

Orangewood Labs builds AI-powered robotic arms, simple to operate. Today I talked to CEO and Co-Founder Abhinav Das: Backed by Y Combinator, Orangewood is headquartered in the US, with their R&D team in India. They aim to democratise robots, leveraging the latest advancements in ML and generative AI. We talk about his journey from building affordable cars for rural India, designing wood furniture for co-working spaces, going to the US, and building robots, with all the ups and downs of a young startup founder.

My guest is Matt Freed, co-founder of K-Scale Labs, a machine-learning startup developing an 𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗡-𝗦𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗖𝗘 𝗛𝗨𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗢𝗜𝗗 𝗥𝗢𝗕𝗢𝗧, easily manufactured by individuals using 3D printing. With a Bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering, and a Master's in Computer Science from Cornell, Matt Freed leads hardware at K-Scale Labs, based in Palo Alto, Bay Area. We discuss his transition from hardware to software, the importance of open-source for society, how awesome & collaborative the humanoid robotics community is, and their business model.

Our guest today is Lingkang Zhang, founder of Red Rabbit Robotics, specialising in humanoid robots. Extensive experience in autonomous robots and self-driving vehicles. Previously, Lingkang founded a company that developed machine vision solutions for drones. He holds a master's degree in Human-Robot Interaction and an undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering from Beijing. We discuss his journey and the challenges he faced along the way.

🎙 In episode #22, we sit down with ROBOTOP's CEO & Founder Dr.-Ing. Eike Wolfram Schäffer: After his double degree in Industrial & Mechanical Engineering, he stayed in academia and finished his PhD in robot-centric automation solutions, before he founded Robotop. We speak about his curiosity sparked early by LEGO, his time as a tutor, educating customers and how 3D / XR technologies can transform the way we work with robots, by virtual walk-throughs & rapid 3D layouting.

Today's guest is Daryl Lim, the CEO and co-founder of Augmentus, an AI-robotics software company based in Singapore. Augmentus offers a no-code platform that simplifies industrial robot programming, making it accessible to non-technical users. I spoke with Daryl (a Forbes 30 Under 30) about the challenges of founding a tech company, the importance of talking to customers early on and their expansion in the US.

Today I talk with Alex Enache, an AI automation consultant, entrepreneur, and educator. With a Master's Degree in International and Intercultural Communication, Alex quickly saw the potential of the tech industry, diving into chatbots and human-machine communication. Starting as a corporate trainer in Berlin, Alex self-educated on emerging AI tools, testing and leveraging them fully. We talk about the journey that led him to transition into a consultant and entrepreneur, helping others harness practical AI to save time and boost results.

Chandandeep Singh is a researcher at DFKI, the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence, where he works on robot learning. Starting his education in India, he was more focused on the mechanical side of robotics, until during his master's he transitioned into software engineering. He documented and shared his journey, aiming to inspire and educate future roboticists through blogs, videos, and courses.

Today's guest is Robert Liebhart, an accomplished entrepreneur with a focus on integrating European robotic technologies into the South Korean market. Beginning with Germany's Maschinenmarkt, he extended his expertise to various sectors including automation and robotics, and is now CEO at KoreaSolutions. We discuss his journey through the industry, his role in shaping Korea's automation landscape, and his insights on connecting European innovation with Korean enterprise.

My latest guest is Robert Vogel, an experienced Automation Specialist with almost 20 years in the industry. Originating from the robotized system plant engineering sector, he successfully specialized in the "Robot" system component, and now focused on the "Motor" components. We talk about his passion for automation, being with KUKA for over a decade and his in-depth automotive insights.