Building Deep Tech

🎙️ I talked with Bob van Luijt, co-founder and CEO of Weaviate, the open-source vector database that's become core infrastructure for AI-native applications.We talk about how Bob grew up in a small Dutch town, started coding in QBasic, and built his first software company while still in school. Then came the unexpected turn: jazz. He shares how studying music (from a conservatory in the Netherlands to Berklee in Boston) taught him grit, deep focus, and how to think in systems. For Bob, writing code and playing music happen in the same part of the brain.We talk about how Weaviate began as a side project fueled by curiosity about the distance between words, and how that simple idea turned into one of the most used vector databases in the world. Bob explains how the release of transformer models unlocked everything, and how he's stayed focused on helping real developers build, not just chasing hype.We also get into his philosophy on building companies, how he thinks about talent and education, and why he believes too much "academic thinking" blocks real potential. Bob’s not in it for the ego or the exit... he’s building tools for other builders.

In this episode, I talk with Vikash Kumar, Adjunct Professor at Carnegie Mellon and founder of MyoLab.AI, where he’s building human-embodied AI systems:We talk about growing up in a small Indian town, the influence of his mother on his early learning, and how a robotics club at IIT Kharagpur set him on a 15-year path through the world’s top labs.From a PhD at the University of Washington, to OpenAI, Google Brain, Meta FAIR, and now his own company! Vikash shares how his curiosity evolved from tinkering with machines to uncovering the fundamentals of embodied intelligence, and why he believes the future of AI is physical, not just linguistic.He also explains the bold vision behind MyoLab: building “digital twins” that are physiologically and behaviorally lifelike; AI companions that understand not just what you say, but who you are. We talk about how this intersects with robotics, health, memory, and agency, and why the path to general intelligence may start in the body, not the cloud.

I talked with Brennand Pierce, founder and CEO ofKinisi Robotics, where he’s building one-armed mobile manipulators:Designed to automate warehouse tasks like picking, palletizing, and labeling and many more.After nearly two decades in robotics, Bren brings a rare mix of academic depth, startup experience, and hands-on engineering to the conversation.We talk about growing up fascinated by sci-fi and Japanese hobby robots, studying computer science at Exeter, earning a Master’s at the Bristol Robotics Lab, and completing his PhD in humanoid robotics at the Technical University of Munich. Bren shares what he learned building humanoids, founding three robotics companies; including co-founding Bear Robotics, which shipped over 25,000 service robots, and why he now believes the future belongs to practical, task-optimized robots rather than overpromised humanoids.We also look into Kinisi’s approach to solving real-world deployment challenges, lessons from past robotics booms, and what it takes to move from flashy demos to robots that actually work in production.

In this conversation, Aaron Tan, PhD, the founder of Syncere, delves into the world of home robotics, discussing his viral concept video for a robotic lamp, Lume. He shares his journey from Taiwan to Canada, sparked by a Lego Mindstorms kit that ignited his passion for robotics. Aaron explores the design inspiration from Beauty and the Beast, contrasts human-like robotics with practicality, and reveals customer insights gained from hands-on research. With a paid waitlist strategy, he validates consumer excitement for innovative home tech.

In this episode, I talk with Brendah Njiru, founder of HOMY Robotics, where she’s building emotionally intelligent humanoid robots for senior living:With a background in neuroscience and Alzheimer’s research at Cornell, Brendah brings a rare scientific depth to robotics.We talk about her upbringing in Kenya, her early obsession with medicine, and what pulled her into AI and hardware. She shares how she transitioned from labs to startups, why senior care is the perfect proving ground for home robotics, and how her work is grounded in real-world deployment.Brendah also opens up about pressure, ambition, and how she's building HOMY to solve deep human problems, not just automate tasks.

In this discussion, Lerrel Pinto, an Assistant Professor at NYU and a leading figure in robotics, shares insights from his journey from India to the top of the research field. He delves into the challenges of teaching robots to generalize like humans and the significance of open-source robotics. Lerrel also reveals his current venture, Assured Robot Intelligence, while managing a high-profile lab. The conversation highlights the critical role mentorship plays in technology and the exciting advancements shaping the future of robotics.

I sit down with Benji Barash, CEO of Roboto AI, to talk Amazon, robotics, and why knowing what to do with your data is key to scaling:Benji spent years at Amazon working on drone delivery, but started to see a growing problem in robotics, the data was piling up faster than teams could make sense of it.He left Amazon to build a solution. Today, Roboto AI helps robotics companies analyze massive amounts of sensor logs and time-series data. It’s like a copilot for engineers trying to figure out why something broke, how to improve it, and what to do next.We talk about growing up in the UK, getting into programming way before school even taught it, and what it takes to go from big tech to a lean startup. Benji shares what surprised him about building in the real world, how he works across time zones with his co-founder in Zurich, and what it means to build tools that help others scale.

In this episode, I talk with Madison Maxey, founder of LOOMIA, a company building soft, flexible electronics for everything: Everything? Everything! From robotics to automotive interiors. Maddie’s journey spans fashion school, a Thiel Fellowship, a return to Stanford in her mid-20s to study material science, and a decade of turning prototypes into real-world tech.We talk about growing up with a soldering iron and a sewing machine, how she designed a smart jacket for Zac Posen and Google, and why building a company means more than building a product. Maddie shares what it took to land early customers like Airbus, how she balances long timelines with fast-moving industries, and why her goal is to build something meaningful over 30 years, not just raise another round.We talk about early wins, hard lessons, the beauty of tactile sensing, and why confidence comes from doing hard things until they start to feel normal.

Yesterday, they launched a $299 robot. It looks like a toy, but it opens up a world of AI. Today, I talk to the person who made it real.Matthieu Lapeyre is the founder of Pollen Robotics and one of the most quietly influential roboticists in Europe. He’s been building open-source humanoids long before it was cool, from Poppy to Reachy to Reachy Mini.We talk about how growing up without a tech background shaped him, why he left research to ship hardware, and how he kept going through years of bootstrapping with barely enough to pay the team. He shares what it’s really like to live on the edge for years, and how joining Hugging Face gave them the launchpad they needed.We also get into the making of Reachy Mini, why it's designed to be unbreakable, what inspired the egg-shaped head, and how it could become the iPhone moment for robotics.

Kaan Dogrusoz, Co-Founder and CEO of Weave Robotics, shares his journey from Istanbul to building Isaac, a personal home robot designed for everyday use. He discusses the leap from a corporate giant like Apple to startups, emphasizing the challenges of creating something tangible and personal. The conversation dives into team dynamics in robotics, the iterative process of prototyping, and the impact of real-world feedback. Kaan also highlights how competition fuels innovation and the essential role of community in technological advancement.