Autonomous

UAXVC

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Technology
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Autonomous explores the technologies reshaping the physical world - drones, robotics, and AI-driven machines. Through conversations with founders, engineers, and investors, the podcast examines the breakthroughs, operational lessons, and market opportunities defining the future of autonomous systems. Hosted by Shay Senior, an Israeli entrepreneur and technology scout in unmanned systems.

1d ago

The Physical World Can’t Move at AI Speed | Peri Muttath (SouthUp)

What happens when AI allows a small team to build in months what once took years, but the product still has to exist in the physical world? I’ve been trying to get Peri Muttath into the studio for almost a year. Every time I was in Israel, he seemed to be somewhere else. Every time he was available, I was abroad. We finally made it happen. Peri has watched the technology industry evolve from many different seats. After years working across Israel’s innovation ecosystem, including the Israel Innovation Authority, he chose his next chapter at SouthUp: helping build new technology companies in the area near the Gaza border and contributing to the next generation of Physical AI and defense tech coming from there. Our conversation went much further than startups. We talked about why geography still matters when building physical technology, what the Russia-Ukraine war changed in the way defense technology develops, and how different this moment feels from the 1990s, when sometimes Hollywood seemed to imagine future technology faster than industry could build it. We talked about humanoid robots entering our homes and others entering our workplaces. About which jobs machines may actually take. About AI giving small companies an opportunity to challenge incumbents with resources they could never have matched before. But there is a catch. Software can be updated tonight. A robot deployed thousands of kilometers away cannot. Hardware still needs to be manufactured, shipped, tested, maintained and eventually replaced. And as everything around it accelerates, that physical reality may become one of the biggest challenges and opportunities, of the Physical AI era. A conversation about technology, geography, robots, war, entrepreneurship and why this might be one of the most interesting moments in decades to build something physical.
Aug 30

Can the World Copy Ukraine’s Defense Innovation Model? | Artem Moroz (BRAVE1)

What happens when technology doesn’t have years to find its market, but needs to prove itself in the field now? In this episode of Autonomous, I sit down with Artem Moroz from BRAVE1 to talk about the Ukrainian defense-tech ecosystem and the unusual relationship it has created between founders, government, investors and the people actually using the technology. Artem’s journey into this world is just as interesting. Coming from the hospitality industry, he chose to stay in Ukraine and use his network and experience to help Ukrainian companies find capital, partners and opportunities to grow internationally. We talk about how technology moves from an idea to the field, whether “battle-tested” is becoming an overused term, what investors still misunderstand about Ukrainian defense companies, and whether Europe and the U.S. could ever reproduce Ukraine’s speed and feedback loops without the pressure of war. We also look further ahead: What happens to this ecosystem when the war eventually ends? Are we building great companies or great wartime solutions? And which parts of the Ukrainian model can the rest of the world actually learn from? A conversation about technology, capital, culture, resilience, and what can happen when an ecosystem becomes aligned around one very clear purpose.
Aug 10

Why Big Organizations Struggle to Innovate | Naor Caspi (Fresh Fund)

In this episode, I sit down with Naor Caspi from Fresh Fund to talk about a career spent moving between government, large corporations, startups, and venture capital — and what each side gets wrong about innovation. We discuss what it actually takes to build an innovation team inside a large organization, and how you get companies that have become slower over time to work with startups and new technologies. For Naor, innovation isn’t about running an accelerator or collecting interesting technologies. It needs to create value: generate new revenue, reduce costs, improve existing operations, or help an organization move faster. We also get into the transition from government to the private sector, what October 7 changed in his thinking about technology and adoption, and how those lessons now influence the companies he works with and invests in. In this episode: What government taught Naor that he brought into the private sectorHow to build an innovation team inside a large organizationThe three things you cannot lead innovation withoutWhy large companies struggle to adopt startup technologyHow innovation should connect to revenue, cost savings, and speedWhat October 7 changed about the way technologies reach end usersWhere technical diligence belongs in early-stage investingWhether AI can actually replace parts of an analyst’s jobWhat Naor looks for when evaluating early-stage defense technologyA conversation about what happens when innovation has to move beyond presentations and actually work inside organizations.
Jul 17 · Bonus

Where Capital Is Moving in Defense & Physical AI | 100 Conversations Later

Over the past year, I've had the opportunity to meet more than 100 founders, investors, operators, researchers and government organizations working on the next generation of defense, robotics and Physical AI. This episode is different. Instead of interviewing another guest, I step back to reflect on the patterns that kept appearing across those conversations. We discuss: • Where capital is moving in defense and Physical AI• What investors are actually buying• Why operational learning is becoming a competitive advantage• Cost-per-kill and the changing economics of modern defense• Why geography, supply chains and access to experimentation matter more than ever• The questions I now ask every founder and every technology These aren't predictions. They're observations from a year spent in the field. Whether you're building a company, investing in emerging technology, or trying to understand where this industry is heading, I hope this episode helps you ask better questions.
Jul 1

Episode 21 | From Toy to Threat: Audelia Boker on Counter-Drone Defense & World Cup Security

In this episode of Autonomous, I sat down with Audelia Boker from Sentrycs, an Ondas Holding company to discuss a journey that spans continents, cultures, and one of the fastest-growing security challenges in the world. After making Aliyah to Israel, Audelia had to adapt to a completely new culture, language, and business environment, eventually finding herself in one of the most dynamic industries in the country: defense. Today, she operates at the intersection of autonomy, security, and counter-drone defense at a time when drones have evolved from hobbyist tools into real strategic threats. From war zones to critical infrastructure, and now to global events like the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the need to detect, identify, and neutralize unauthorized drones has become a major security priority. In this conversation, we discuss: Audelia’s personal journey to Israel and adapting to a new cultureBreaking into Israel’s defense ecosystemHow drones evolved from toys into national security threatsWhy counter-drone systems are becoming critical worldwideThe security challenges behind protecting global events like the World CupThe future of autonomous security systemsThis conversation goes beyond counter-drone technology. It’s about adaptation, resilience, and understanding how autonomy is reshaping the global security landscape.
Jun 12

Episode 20 | After the Missile Strike - Israel Vaserlauf on Resilience & Rebuilding

What happens when a founder spends 20 years building a company and, in a single night, an Iranian missile destroys the facility he built with his own hands? In this episode of Autonomous, I sat down with Israel Vaserlauf, Founder and CEO of Aerosol and the force behind the AeroSentinel drone platform. We discuss his journey from building model aircraft as a teenager to creating one of Israel's leading ISR drone companies, developing military-grade drones designed for endurance, low acoustic signature, and operational effectiveness. But this conversation became about something much bigger than drones. Just days after bringing in new strategic partners and securing the next chapter of growth for the company, an Iranian missile struck Aerosol's facility during Passover evening. Machinery, production equipment, and decades of work were destroyed. Yet by the next morning, the team was already salvaging what they could and planning the company's future. Rather than seeing the event as an ending, Israel saw it as a restart button. We talk about: Building a drone company in Israel from the ground upCompeting against Chinese drone manufacturersWhy ISR remains the company's core focusThe importance of domestic manufacturing and technological independenceLessons learned from military operators over the past decadeThe realities of entrepreneurship during wartimeTurning disaster into an opportunity to refocus and growAfter seeing twenty years of work reduced to rubble, Israel's first thought was not about what had been lost, but about what the company would become next. Listen now to hear the story behind one of Israel's most determined drone entrepreneurs.
Jun 3

Episode 19 | The Future of Air Mobility in California with Josh Metz

In this episode, I sit down with Josh Metz, Executive Director and co-founder of the Monterey Bay DART Initiative, one of the organizations helping shape the future of advanced air mobility, autonomous systems, and regional innovation in the United States. Josh has spent more than two decades working at the intersection of economic development, public policy, infrastructure, and emerging technologies. His work has helped build the ecosystem around companies like Joby Aviation while creating pathways for new technologies to move from concept to real-world deployment. Our conversation goes beyond aircraft and drones. We discuss how regions build innovation ecosystems, why some communities become magnets for talent and investment while others struggle, and what it takes to create an environment where entrepreneurs, governments, universities, and industry can work together. Topics we covered: The story behind the Monterey Bay DART InitiativeHow regions can attract and retain emerging technology companiesThe evolution of Advanced Air Mobility and autonomous aviationLessons learned from supporting the growth of Joby AviationWhy infrastructure and ecosystem-building matter as much as technology itselfThe role of public-private partnerships in accelerating innovationCreating career pathways for the next generation of engineers and operatorsThe challenges of moving new technologies from demonstrations to daily operationsHow the U.S. is positioning itself in the global race for autonomy and advanced transportationThis episode is not just about drones or aircraft. It's about the people and organizations working behind the scenes to create the conditions that allow innovation to thrive, scale, and eventually change how we move, work, and connect. 🎧 Join us as we explore the intersection of technology, policy, infrastructure, and the communities that make progress possible.
May 18

Episode 18 | How VCs Evaluate Deep Tech Startups — Gili Elkin (ICI)

What does it actually take to raise a VC fund from scratch with no network, no track record and everyone telling you it won’t work? In this episode of the Autonomous Podcast, I sat down with Gili Elkin, Managing Partner of ICI Fund, to discuss the mindset behind building both companies and venture funds in deep tech. From growing up between Israel and the U.S., to raising her first fund in Colorado through pure resilience, community building and hundreds of conversations. Gili shares what investors actually look for in founders, why “first check” investing is all about people, and why entrepreneurs should stop waiting for the “perfect moment” before reaching out. We also go deep into: The cultural gap between Israeli founders and American investorsWhy storytelling matters as much as technologyHow ICI evaluates deeptech companies before investingAI infrastructure, space, data centers and the future of hard-tech investingWhy the strongest founders are usually the ones who simply never stopOne line from the episode that stayed with me: “It’s never too early to come to us.” For founders, investors and operators building in autonomy, robotics, defense, AI infrastructure and deep technologies, this one is worth the listen.

Super interesting listen

Jan 16

Shay hadani

One the best content for drone and robotics industry

Autonomous explores the technologies reshaping the physical world - drones, robotics, and AI-driven machines. Through conversations with founders, engineers, and investors, the podcast examines the breakthroughs, operational lessons, and market opportunities defining the future of autonomous systems. Hosted by Shay Senior, an Israeli entrepreneur and technology scout in unmanned systems.

Creator

UAXVC
Years Active

2025 - 2026
Episodes

26
Rating

Clean
Copyright

© UAXVC
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Autonomous

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