"There is a need for starting automation - robotics is a space that we can't postpone for too long. We want to make sure that you start adopting it." - Rishabh Agarwal   In this episode, host Parthesh Shastri speaks with Rishabh Agarwal, CEO and co-founder of Peer Robotics, about rethinking automation for small and mid-sized manufacturers. Drawing from his experience at Kuka, Siemens, and a family manufacturing background, Rishabh shares how Peer’s collaborative robots learn from human demonstrations—no coding required. He explains how their robots are designed to work with people, often elevating workers to more valuable roles, and encourages manufacturers to adopt automation gradually using tech that fits existing systems and is easy for non-technical users.   Rishabh Agarwal, an alumnus of IIT Delhi and the University of Maryland, combines academic rigor with practical insight. At Peer Robotics, he leads a lean, R&D-focused team building intuitive robots that simplify material movement on the factory floor. Backed by significant funding, the company prioritizes accessibility over sales infrastructure, empowering more manufacturers to embrace collaborative automation.   Discussion Points (04:11) Rishabh shares how their robots learn routes via human demonstration, eliminating reprogramming. He also explains Peer’s R&D-first approach, keeping dev and deployment teams closely aligned for rapid iteration. (09:09) From IIT Delhi to the University of Maryland, and stints at Siemens and Kuka, Rishabh reflects on his journey into robotics and how SMEs face unique automation hurdles due to their need for flexibility. (16:38) Peer’s automation strategy centers on plug-and-play integration, minimal user input, and intuitive interfaces. Their team handles complexity internally to deliver streamlined, infrastructure-light solutions. (22:36) Rishabh discusses how automation at Peer augments jobs rather than displacing workers, often promoting operators into new roles. He urges manufacturers to start small, enabling low-risk, scalable adoption. Ayna is a premier advisory and implementation firm in the industrial technology space, leveraging a team of experienced leaders to help companies and investors drive performance improvement and value creation. The host of this episode is Anya’s Parthesh Shastri.   For More Information Rishabh Agarwal LinkedIn Peer Robotics Ayna.AI Website Parthesh Shastri LinkedIn