The DOGE Effect On U.S. Robotics

No one wanted to go on the record, but everyone shared contradictory experiences with the Trump administration last month. A frontier tech company depends on the government to approve licenses or waivers, such as launching low-Earth orbit satellites or beyond-line-of-sight delivery drones. But what happens if the person or the office you filed with a … Read more

2023: The Year of Tombot – The Robo Dog

Hands down, the robot story of 2022 was the San Francisco Police Department’s decision, and subsequent retraction, to order a fleet of killer robots. The highly-debated proposal tried to set nerves at ease by stating: “Robots will only be used as a deadly force option when the risk of loss of life to members of … Read more

The Year Of The SPAC And What It Means For Hardware

CBS MarketWatch declared 2020: The Year of the SPAC (Special Purpose Acquisition Corporation). A record 219 companies went public through this fundraising vehicle that uses a reverse merger with an existing private business to create a publicly-listed entity. This accounted for more than $73 billion dollars of investment, providing private equity startups a new outlet … Read more

Automate 2019 Startup Showdown Recap

It’s been two years since the last time I judged the Automate Startup Competition. More than any other trade show contest, this event has been an oracle of future success. In following up with the last vintage of participants, all of the previous entrees are still operating and many are completing multi-million dollar financing rounds. … Read more