In your early days, you mentioned that "many valleys had to be crossed" to get NODE Robotics off the ground. How do you reflect on those challenges now, four years later?
I think Jensen Huang put it best when he said if you knew all the challenges ahead of time, you might not even start. It’s probably a good thing we didn’t know! Looking back, though, it’s incredibly rewarding to see how much we’ve grown—both as a company and as individuals. As first-time founders, we had to figure out a lot of things on the fly, and sometimes we learned the hard way. But those experiences made us stronger and more resilient.
How has NODE Robotics evolved from its initial vision to the company it is today?
The core vision has remained largely the same—driving the widespread adoption of mobile robots through a hardware-agnostic software platform. But how we approach that vision has evolved significantly. In the early days, we had that typical researcher's mindset where we thought we could do anything, and now. As we grew, we realized the importance of focus and truly understanding customer needs. So, we narrowed our scope and prioritized customer-centric development. Some ideas are still on the back burner, waiting for the right time, but the strategic shift has been essential to our growth.
In your previous interview, you were preparing to launch your first products in 2021. How did that launch go, and what milestones have you achieved since then?
Three years is a long time in startup years, and a lot has happened. Some milestones were hit, others were missed, but the most significant achievement is having over 1,000 robots running on our software today. Instead of constantly launching new products, we’ve focused on refining and improving what we have, adding new features to existing products. It’s all about perfecting the product before moving on to the next thing.
What are some of the key innovations NODE Robotics has brought to the industry over the past four years?
NODE has become known for our Live SLAM, which addresses the challenges of localizing in dynamic environments by continuously updating maps in real-time. We’ve also made strides in safety-field optimal dynamic path planning and have worked hard to build an easy-to-use UI, making it easier for our customers to operate and get value out of our software.
Back then, you mentioned building up your operations and support team. How has your team grown, and what does your company culture look like today?
We’ve grown to a team of nearly 30, and I’m proud that we’ve maintained our learning-oriented culture. It’s still a place where everyone helps each other, and there’s a strong desire to have an impact. Of course, not every hire works out as planned, but overall, we’ve been successful in bringing in talented people. Many have chosen to join us over higher-paying corporate jobs because they’re excited by the challenge and the opportunity to make a difference.
What are your plans for the next phase of NODE Robotics? Where do you see the company in the next few years?
It feels like we’re just getting started. The whole industry is at the beginning of something massive. Over the next few years, it’s going to be all about scaling—scaling our product, our team, and the company as a whole. Our next big milestone is supporting 10,000 robots with our software.
Reflecting on your journey, what advice would you give to entrepreneurs looking to start a tech company in today's climate?
For founders with a tech background, the biggest piece of advice is not to get too caught up in the technology itself. Focus on finding a real problem that your tech solves better than anything else out there. The key is to identify a use case where your solution isn’t just marginally better but significantly better. And you figure that out by talking to a lot of potential customers early on. Build a simple MVP that proves your value proposition and then iterate based on real feedback.
Finally, what are you most proud of achieving with NODE Robotics over the past four years?
Hitting the milestone of 1,000 robots in production with our software is something I’m incredibly proud of. Especially considering the challenges in the market right now, it’s a testament to the hard work of our team and the value we’re delivering to our customers. It still amazes me when I think about where we started and how far we’ve come.
