Audrow Nash Podcast

Audrow Nash
  • 5.0 (4)
  • Technology

If you're building a robotics company, backing one, or deciding whether to join one, this is a way to hear how they actually work from the people running them. Founders, CTOs, investors, and researchers on how the robots work, how the business makes money, and what they've gotten wrong. Unscripted, usually over an hour, with chapters so you can skip to the part you care about. Hosted by Audrow Nash, a robotics engineer who's been interviewing roboticists since 2014. Questions and guest suggestions: audrow.com/contact

  1. 10/07/2025

    Fred Parietti (Multiply Labs): Robots That Copy Scientists for Cell Therapy

    A bag of gene-edited cells can be worth about half a million dollars (Fred's range for a dose is roughly $400K to $2M), and today that work is still done by hand in clean rooms, over thousands of steps. I talk with Fred Parietti, Co-founder and CEO of Multiply Labs, about robots that manufacture cell and gene therapies using the same instruments, reagents, and consumables the scientists use, why they train from video of scientists instead of teleoperation, and where a ~$30K humanoid fits in their plant (loading and unloading carts, not the science). You'll like this interview if you're a roboticist curious about pharma, a founder picking high-value problems over pizza robots, or anyone who wants Fred's take on "infinite market" pitches and a robotics winter. The biology explainer (16:08–34:00) is the most technical stretch. EPISODE LINKS - Multiply Labs: https://www.multiplylabs.com PODCAST LINKS - Podcast Website: https://audrownashpodcast.com/ - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@audrow - Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/audrow-nash-podcast/id1716486786 - Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/74jWpWiLwsasY2QHtDcl8I?si=6c92796bf9554162 TIMECODES 0:00 Cold open 0:53 Multiply Labs overview 7:17 Pharma robotics gap 16:08 Next-gen pharma 34:00 Multiply Labs automation 43:54 Deployment size 1:00:04 Thoughts on humanoids 1:10:01 Training process 1:21:39 High-value problems 1:24:37 Key takeaways

    Fred Parietti (Multiply Labs): Robots That Copy Scientists for Cell Therapy

  2. 08/21/2025

    Why "Shut It Off" Fails for Bipeds: Agility's Pras Velagapudi on Digit

    For a wheeled robot, "shut it off" can be a safety move. For a biped that has to stay upright, killing power is the hazard. Pras walks through why Digit needs different rules. I talk with Pras Velagapudi, CTO of Agility Robotics, about Digit (two arms, two legs) doing paid material handling on full shifts, why a dynamically stable biped beats a heavy wheeled base for narrow aisles, the tradeoffs of wheels on feet, and how they're working with others (including Boston Dynamics) on safety standards for robots that can't just lock their wheels and call it safe. You'll like this interview if you're into humanoids, warehouse automation, or the control and safety problems that show up once a robot has to balance. The legs-and-wheels stretch (about 5:26–23:15) is the densest design argument; safety and standards (36:42 on) is where the shut-it-off problem shows up. EPISODE LINKS - Agility Robotics: https://www.agilityrobotics.com PODCAST LINKS - Podcast Website: https://audrownashpodcast.com/ - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@audrow - Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/audrow-nash-podcast/id1716486786 - Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/74jWpWiLwsasY2QHtDcl8I?si=6c92796bf9554162 TIMECODES 0:00 Cold open 0:42 Agility overview 5:26 Why humanoid design 13:26 Why legs, not wheels 23:15 Digit's application 36:42 Safety in humanoids 49:11 Standardizing safety 1:06:50 Digit in other industries 1:14:41 How AI fits into robotics 1:29:23 Is data still gold? 1:35:54 The future of Agility 1:38:13 Key takeaways

    Why "Shut It Off" Fails for Bipeds: Agility's Pras Velagapudi on Digit

  3. 07/08/2025

    The Best Robot Today Is Worth Less Than a 1960 Computer: Polymath

    Stefan's cold open: the best robot in the world today is less valuable to its owner than an average computer was in 1960. They argue robotics still makes teams rebuild the same navigation stack instead of buying commodity software. I talk with Stefan Seltz-Axmacher (CEO) and Ilia Baranov (CTO), co-founders of Polymath Robotics, about packaging point-to-point navigation for off-highway machines (tractors, bulldozers, mines), why SaaS feels easy because you don't rebuild payments and backends, labor shortages and vehicle SKU sprawl, and why they think humanoid-as-general-purpose is often the wrong bet next to Roomba-scale appliances. You'll like this if you build autonomy for industrial vehicles, sell into mining/ag, or want a blunt take on demos vs products. The ROI/history stretch (about 12:14–24:15) and the humanoid/minimally-viable-humanoid bit (52:02 on) are the densest arguments. EPISODE LINKS - Polymath Robotics: https://www.polymathrobotics.com PODCAST LINKS - Podcast Website: https://audrownashpodcast.com/ - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@audrow - Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/audrow-nash-podcast/id1716486786 - Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/74jWpWiLwsasY2QHtDcl8I?si=6c92796bf9554162 TIMECODES 0:00 Cold open 0:12 Polymath overview 6:04 Robotics standards gap 12:14 Market reality 16:43 Labor shortages 24:15 Cutting mining costs 33:55 AgTech needs action 43:16 Practical autonomy 52:02 Humanoid future 1:12:31 LLMs and coding 1:21:10 Work-kids balance 1:36:04 Key takeaways

    The Best Robot Today Is Worth Less Than a 1960 Computer: Polymath

  4. 05/01/2025

    Brannon Jones (AlleyCorp): Why Deep Tech Investing Still Has No Rulebook

    Twenty years ago, SaaS had no rule of 40. Brannon Jones's take is that deep tech is in that same stretch now: the rules are still unwritten. I talk with Brannon Jones, investor on AlleyCorp's deep tech team, about why they started the vertical in robotics, how they underwrite hardware with a value-creation multiple instead of SaaS metrics, and what that looks like in the portfolio: EyeBot's 90-second eye exam kiosk, Portal Space's satellite thrusters, and Aescape's robotic massage table (which he says raised $83M). We also get into why AlleyCorp hasn't backed a humanoid yet, and why he thinks a lot of embodied-AI demos are still pick and place. You'll like this if you raise for a robotics company, invest in hardware, or want an operator-turned-investor view of New York deep tech. The portfolio walk (about 15:43–56:00) is concrete; the investing framework (56:08 on) is the densest stretch. EPISODE LINKS - Brannon Jones X: https://x.com/robotjonez - Brannon Jones LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jones-brannon - AlleyCorp website: https://alleycorp.com - AlleyCorp LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/alleycorp PODCAST LINKS - Podcast Website: https://audrownashpodcast.com/ - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@audrow - Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/audrow-nash-podcast/id1716486786 - Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/74jWpWiLwsasY2QHtDcl8I?si=6c92796bf9554162 TIMECODES 0:00 Cold open 0:23 AlleyCorp and Brannon Jones 3:26 What deep tech means at AlleyCorp 10:14 New York vs West Coast portfolio 15:43 Deep tech portfolio overview 17:11 EyeBot eye exam kiosk 22:25 Why deep tech vs SaaS 28:46 Portal Space satellite thrusters 32:35 Aescape massage robot 44:39 Valar Atomics 49:24 Koop Technologies 50:58 Glacier recycling robots 54:46 Civ Robotics solar surveying 56:08 Funding robotics without SaaS playbooks 1:09:50 Market-focused startups 1:14:17 Early robotics investments 1:23:40 Humanoids and value creation 1:28:32 Deglobalization and China 1:32:48 Hype vs pick and place 1:38:19 Key takeaways

    Brannon Jones (AlleyCorp): Why Deep Tech Investing Still Has No Rulebook

  5. 04/08/2025

    From Napkin Sketch to Truck: BotBuilt's Barrett Ames on Robot Framing

    Somebody draws a house on a napkin. BotBuilt turns that into a 3D nail schedule, cuts twisted lumber in a warehouse, and ships panels so on-site framing drops from weeks to about four hours. I talk with Barrett Ames, co-founder of BotBuilt, about why they automate framing (the bones of the house) instead of the whole build, how they plan and grip imperfect lumber, and the business of warehouse construction that still has to win on jobsites. You'll like this if you care about construction robotics, founder-market fit in hardtech, or how to pick an automation wedge that isn't a race to the bottom. The lumber-handling stretch (about 6:59–17:41) is the densest engineering bit; time and cost (56:52 on) is the densest business bit. EPISODE LINKS - BotBuilt: https://www.botbuilt.com - Barrett Ames: https://www.cbames.com PODCAST LINKS - Podcast Website: https://audrownashpodcast.com/ - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@audrow - Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/audrow-nash-podcast/id1716486786 - Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/74jWpWiLwsasY2QHtDcl8I?si=6c92796bf9554162 TIMECODES 0:00 Cold open 2:22 Overview 6:59 Challenges 17:41 Sketch to structure 27:20 Generative solutions 30:36 Structuring build 35:49 When things go wrong 42:31 Traditional vs automated 56:52 Time and cost 1:07:36 Long-term vision 1:14:35 Construction opportunities 1:23:51 Lessons learned 1:33:32 Final thoughts

    From Napkin Sketch to Truck: BotBuilt's Barrett Ames on Robot Framing

  6. 03/13/2025

    Eyes and Brain on the Camera: Luxonis CEO Bradley Dillon on Edge Vision

    Tesla gets far on vision alone, but shipping that stack means hardware, bandwidth, AI, and sync. Luxonis's bet is cameras that are eyes, ears, and a chunk of brain at the edge. I talk with Bradley Dillon, CEO of Luxonis, about AI-enabled cameras for robots (he cites more than 150,000 sold), fusing sensors on-device, multi-device linking, models and labeling, and where they aim the platform next (including harder industrial and security screening angles). You'll like this if you build robots and don't want to become a camera company, or if you care about edge vs cloud for vision. The edge-compute stretch (about 25:01–31:41) and applications (20:26 on) are the densest product bits. EPISODE LINKS - Luxonis: https://www.luxonis.com - Bradley Dillon LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradley-dillon/ PODCAST LINKS - Podcast Website: https://audrownashpodcast.com/ - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@audrow - Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/audrow-nash-podcast/id1716486786 - Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/74jWpWiLwsasY2QHtDcl8I?si=6c92796bf9554162 TIMECODES 0:00 Cold open 1:54 Bradley Dillon and Luxonis overview 8:22 Luxonis equipment 13:01 Integrating multiple sensors 20:26 Applications of Luxonis vision 25:01 Luxonis and computing power 28:21 Linking multiple devices 31:41 Luxonis AI models 34:53 Data generation and labeling 44:53 Future predictions 49:01 AI for scene understanding 59:31 Targeting industries 1:04:54 Smart security screening 1:09:43 Growth story 1:18:58 Chip supply challenges

    Eyes and Brain on the Camera: Luxonis CEO Bradley Dillon on Edge Vision

  7. 02/26/2025

    Legs, Mines, and Frames: Live Interviews from a Stealth Texas Robotics Event

    Three short live interviews from a stealth robotics meetup between Austin and San Antonio: legged-robot safety in human spaces, automating mining exploration tasks, and robots that frame houses. I talk with Kyle Morgenstein (UT Austin PhD, legged safety / RL), David Venegas (Head of Operations at Durin, mining), and Barrett Ames (co-founder of BotBuilt, construction framing). You'll like this if you want a sampler across research and startups rather than one deep company dive. Kyle's safety stretch opens (about 1:24–20:36); David covers mining (20:36–38:03); Barrett closes on BotBuilt (38:03 on). EPISODE LINKS - Kyle Morgenstein: https://www.kylemorgenstein.com/ - Durin: https://www.durin.com/ - BotBuilt: https://www.botbuilt.com/ PODCAST LINKS - Podcast Website: https://audrownashpodcast.com/ - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@audrow - Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/audrow-nash-podcast/id1716486786 - Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/74jWpWiLwsasY2QHtDcl8I?si=6c92796bf9554162 TIMECODES 0:00 Cold open 1:24 Kyle: legged robot safety 3:55 Improving robot safety for humans 7:25 Humanoid progress and future 10:39 Boston Dynamics vs Unitree 12:14 Reward models for safer robots 15:05 Foundation models 16:34 Teleoperation efficiency 18:45 Training from YouTube data 20:36 David: mining basics 28:58 Automating mining tasks 34:09 Access challenges in excavation 36:57 Use of simulation 38:03 Barrett: construction robots 41:27 Custom home focus 43:06 BotBuilt's approach 44:16 BotBuilt's data sourcing 49:47 Working with robots 49:57 Perception stack 52:20 Handling lumber challenges 53:39 Margins vs prefab homes 53:57 Transport costs 56:02 BotBuilt's lifecycle 58:17 Outro

    Legs, Mines, and Frames: Live Interviews from a Stealth Texas Robotics Event

  8. 02/11/2025

    Smell as a Sensor Stack: Kordel France on Making Olfaction Robot-Ready

    Vision and audio have digital sensors. Smell mostly doesn't. Kordel's bet is to make olfaction as usable for robots as cameras are today. I talk with Kordel France, founder of Scentience, about how smell sensing works, what goes wrong when you try to identify complex odors, near-term use cases (from quality control to security-style detection), datasets and standardization, and what an API for smell would look like for robot builders. You'll like this if you're curious about a new sensing modality, or you're hunting for application wedges that aren't another gripper demo. The mechanisms stretch (about 8:14–15:08) is the densest science bit; API / integration (38:38 on) is the densest product bit. EPISODE LINKS - Scentience: https://scentience.ai/ - Kordel France: https://kordelfrance.ai/ PODCAST LINKS - Podcast Website: https://audrownashpodcast.com/ - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@audrow - Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/audrow-nash-podcast/id1716486786 - Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/74jWpWiLwsasY2QHtDcl8I?si=6c92796bf9554162 TIMECODES 0:00 Cold open 1:22 Kordel France and Scentience overview 2:39 Smell's role in robotics 5:19 Smell sensor problem solving 8:14 Smell identification mechanisms 15:08 Use cases 16:42 Near-future innovations 25:09 Application development 27:53 Scent technology standardization 33:02 Scent recognition dataset 33:33 Industry vs academia 36:56 Startup landscape in smell robotics 38:38 Smell sensing API 42:40 Sensor integration 49:58 Weather data's impact on smell sensors

    Smell as a Sensor Stack: Kordel France on Making Olfaction Robot-Ready
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

If you're building a robotics company, backing one, or deciding whether to join one, this is a way to hear how they actually work from the people running them. Founders, CTOs, investors, and researchers on how the robots work, how the business makes money, and what they've gotten wrong. Unscripted, usually over an hour, with chapters so you can skip to the part you care about. Hosted by Audrow Nash, a robotics engineer who's been interviewing roboticists since 2014. Questions and guest suggestions: audrow.com/contact

Information

  • Creator
    Audrow Nash
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2025
  • Episodes
    24
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Audrow Nash
  • Show Website
    Audrow Nash Podcast

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