102: A Conversation in Berlin about Robot Operations with Florian Pestoni, Co-Founder and CEO of InOrbit

It’s not every day you get to record a podcast episode in Berlin, so when Florian Pestoni told me he’d be in Berlin at the same time as me, we had to meet up to record an interview.

In this special live episode of Manufacturing Happy Hour, we step out of the studio and into the beer garden to discuss what chronic care for robots looks like. Florian is the Co-Founder & CEO of InOrbit, a Silicon Valley-based startup that helps companies managing fleets of robots streamline their robotic operations. Florian shares his motivation behind his shift from software engineering to robotics, before diving into a discussion about #RobOps and examples of how InOrbit offers chronic care for robotic fleets.

Altogether, it’s an informative and – dare we say – unconventional episode packed with insights about the future of robotics, the startup scenes in Berlin, Silicon Valley, and beyond, and yes, the quirks of recording live podcast episodes in less-than-ideal conditions.

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3 Quick Things from this Episode

  1. Over the next 5-10 years, robots will probably work side-by-side with humans as coworkers.
  2. The start-up scene in Berlin is quite unconventional relative to the rest of Europe.
  3. Many preconceived notions about robots will melt away as they integrate into society.

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Tweetable Quotes

  • “Robots are awesome, but they’re far from perfect.”
  • “There are awesome robots being created, but the infrastructure to sustain them in the real world is scarce.”
  • “In the future, we’re going to see more specialized robots that look more like tools than humans.”

Please Scroll Down for Recommended Resources from this Episode

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What We Discuss with Florian

  • Florian’s impression of the start-up scene in Berlin
  • An overview of what InOrbit does
  • How Florian got into Robotics
  • Why he made the switch from software engineering to robotics
  • What chronic care for a robot looks like
  • Lessons Florian has picked up while traveling that impacted his perspectives on robotics
  • What the future holds for robotics

Recommended Resources

  • InOrbit, a Silicon Valley-based start-up that streamlines robot operations with a cloud-based robot management platform built to maximize the potential of every robot
  • Willow Garage, a former robotics research lab and technology incubator in Menlo Park, CA
  • Republik Berlin, a relaxed, urban beer garden in Berlin fixing up local and global eats such as paella, pasta, and burgers, plus craft beer

Connect with Florian and InOrbit

LinkedIn | Twitter | Florian Pestoni