What do you do if your Robotics startup is not taking off as expected?

Crucial to me: its not about does it solve a use case for a target market, first ask does it solve a use case for a single customer in that market. Make that work, then scale to other customers in the market.

The first thing I will do is sit back and meditate on what am not doing right and where I can improve. I will also consult other successful leaders to ask for their opinions on other ways to improve.

Perfectionism is a vice, and it can be a double-edged sword. Rather than waiting for the perfect product or getting too attached to technology, identify your unique value proposition. What problem can you solve? Whose lives can you impact? By finding your niche market, you'll thrive where your passion aligns with your purpose.

. This is completely the wrong approach! Why evaluate the product? It is much more important to pick up on what the market needs than to work in detail on a product that will have no impact on sales afterwards! Listen to your sales team - because they are close to the customer. Technology and development only play an advisory role in such decisions

To succeed in robotics, it is more important to do "Right things" than doing "Things Right" So building a detailed requirement is very important based on a customer used case then developing your wishlist products.

Some ways to improve our skills in robotics, covering both technical and soft skills can be listed: *** Technical Skills ** Deepen your core knowledge * Programming - Mechanics - Electronics - Sensors and actuators - Machine learning ** Take online courses and tutorials ** Work on personal projects ** Read technical books and articles ** Network with other roboticists *** Business Skills: ** Understand the market ** Develop your business acumen ** Develop funding strategies ** Learn about regulations and standards ** Develop leadership skills *** Soft Skills ** Problem-solving and critical thinking ** Communication skills ** Time management and organization ** Adaptability and flexibility ** Collaboration and teamwork ** Leadership skills

Imagine that your robot is like a pizza: *Mass: The basis of your robot is its technology. If the technology is not good, it doesn't matter what you put on top of it. *Sauce: Sauce is the software that controls your robot. *Ingredients: they are the functions that your robot offers. Focus on the features your target audience really needs. *Baking: it is the development process. It must be done at the right temperature and for the right time. If you take it out of the oven too soon, it will be raw. *Presentation: it is marketing and sales. Your robot should look appetizing and be attractive to your target audience. *Customer Service: Good customer service will keep your customers happy and coming back for more.

Absolutely, mastering robotics demands a diverse skill set. Continuous learning, whether in technical aspects like coding and engineering or in business skills such as marketing and leadership, is key. Utilizing online courses, communities, mentors, and consultants can significantly contribute to skill development and addressing knowledge gaps.

With the help of the Federal Government's EXIST research transfer programme, you can obtain a coaching budget to develop your leadership skills. You can also seek support from suitable coaches who have expertise in the field in which the start-up team has less experience.

Continual enhancement of skills is pivotal for success in the dynamic field of robotics. Stay abreast of the latest trends and technologies, ensuring your knowledge remains current. Develop both technical and business proficiencies, cultivating a skill set that aligns with the evolving demands of the industry. A commitment to skill refinement positions your robotics startup for adaptability and sustained growth in the competitive landscape.

Networking is an essential aspect for anyone who wants to expand their business and learn from others. Throughout my career, I have realized that one of the most significant impacts I have had is by meeting people from diverse backgrounds. It has been incredible how one person, whom I did not know earlier, connected with me through another person who believed that we would be great connections. Creating networks is a powerful tool that can help individuals and businesses grow and succeed.

Find industry associations to join, where customers mingle and you can get active insights in what is needed right now. The key is "right now", as needs are changing fast in robotic adoption.

Use Linkedin, associations and exhibitions, that is my recommendation at least for industrial products and particularly for robotics. In the case of mobile robotics: Linkedin + Logimat + ARME.

I've had multiple situations when people whom I know have connected me to both clients and investors. Warm intros are unreasonably powerful compared to cold outreach as you start of with a higher level of trust in the eyes of the person that you just got connected to. Cold message tip to build your network: Personalize the message to each person you connect to. 1. Pick out something on their profile relevant to you/ your startup 2. Tell them how you think you might be able to collaborate/ help 3. Drop some form of credibility (mutual connection/ your recognition/ track record etc.) to improve acceptance rates on your cold DMs!

Network is the first aspect to reach as a robotic startup. It is the key goal for sales and product spread. And product spread is the best way to hear customers feedback of products and what is the market direction.

We learned first hand that R&D-intensive robotics projects require a significant runway. While we initially pursued marketing and receptionist robots, Recognizing this, we strategically diversified by offering parallel robotics services. This generated crucial revenue that allows us to continuously fund R&D for our core product without sacrificing the long-term vision.

Absolutely, securing funding for a robotics startup is often a significant challenge. Whether through bootstrapping, crowdfunding, grants, or pitching to investors, having a clear budget, a compelling pitch deck, and a track record of traction are crucial. Being flexible and creative in identifying and securing funding sources is key in navigating the capital-intensive nature of the robotics industry.

One of the common downfalls of securing funding via accelerators or VCs is they generally push for getting the MVP released with minimal testing and then immediately start scaling. Unlike software or consumer electronics, robotics development takes much longer going from a demo capable prototype to a release candidate that can then become the MVP that goes into production. This should be explicitly planned while making the prototype to market timeline.

Robotics, particularly when hardware is involved, often requires significant capital investment. Establish a clear vision and plan, and secure funding accordingly. Seek out strategic investors who share your vision and can contribute to growth and research and development, rather than becoming entangled in sporadic investment cycles.

The robotics industry is constantly evolving, so we prioritize continuous iteration and adaptation. We actively gather user feedback on our services, incorporate it into product development, and refine our approach based on market trends and emerging technologies.

Often times in robotics start ups the challenge is less technical and more solution problem fit. Interesting robotics does not equal a great product and founders need to step back and iterate on what problem they are solving rather than the solution itself.

I would scan other potential adjacent markets. Often the product is great, it's a matter of finding a market that better matches with your competitive advantages. Some markets seem vastly different, yet they are quite similar. As an example, outer space and underwater markets have similar robotic applications.

Robotics startups tend to be doing something unique. Even when the product looks conceptually similar to others (how many quadruped robots are out there?), the exact positioning, offering or business model is likely differentiated. So, this means there is no rule book to follow. The ONLY guide that counts is the market, and your unique positioning/offering still needs validating & optimising, even if conceptually similar solutions are gaining traction.

One of the best pieces of advice I've received is to "Find a way to Fail Fast and Fail Cheap". This is especially true for high-tech companies.

Full focus on reliability! One of the main issues with robotics is that most companies are not investing enough in making the product reliable. So the first POC works well with customers, but it doesn't scale. Don't underestimate the relevance of the .9999s!

Compare yourself with the market leaders! What can they do better, what can you do better? And assess whether and which points are important for the customer

It has been observed that most of the robotic startup founders are in love with their product and technology, with this they are able to fulfill the partial requirement of successful startup. But the remaining partial requirement is of positioning the product in the market at right time, right place and with right cost. They lack vision on the business angle of growing the product, maturing the product and making it profitable. I guess a business minded experience mentor may increase the chances of making startup successful.

If your robotic startup isn't working, consider reimagining your approach. Focus less on hardware and more on the software ecosystem. Traditional monolithic Ai structures can be limiting. Instead, explore agent-based architectures (agentics), where diverse, distributed processes collaborate and adapt within modular, flexible systems. The big opportunities lie in the interconnected and dynamic aspects around the robot, not just the robot itself. This shift can unlock new potential and opportunities.