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Machine Minds

Greg Toroosian

111 episodes

9 hours ago

From retrofitting automation into existing warehouses to redefining how fast robotics can be deployed, SIMPL Automation is pioneering a more flexible, less disruptive path toward warehouse transformation. In this episode, Ayman Labib, co-founder and CEO of SIMPL Automation, shares how his 25+ years in manufacturing and integration led him to build a company that’s challenging the traditional timelines, costs, and risks of warehouse automation. We explore how adaptive ASRS (Automated Storage a...

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From retrofitting automation into existing warehouses to redefining how fast robotics can be deployed, SIMPL Automation is pioneering a more flexible, less disruptive path toward warehouse transformation. In this episode, Ayman Labib, co-founder and CEO of SIMPL Automation, shares how his 25+ years in manufacturing and integration led him to build a company that’s challenging the traditional timelines, costs, and risks of warehouse automation. We explore how adaptive ASRS (Automated Storage a...

Show more...

Episodes (20/111)

Machine Minds

Episode 110 | The New Era of Agile Warehouse Automation | Ayman Labib

From retrofitting automation into existing warehouses to redefining how fast robotics can be deployed, SIMPL Automation is pioneering a more flexible, less disruptive path toward warehouse transformation. In this episode, Ayman Labib, co-founder and CEO of SIMPL Automation, shares how his 25+ years in manufacturing and integration led him to build a company that’s challenging the traditional timelines, costs, and risks of warehouse automation. We explore how adaptive ASRS (Automated Storage a...

10 hours ago

38 minutes

Machine Minds

Episode 109 | The Operating System for Robots: InOrbit's AI-Powered Robot Orchestration

Florian shares his journey from cryptography researcher to big tech product leader — at companies like Microsoft, Adobe, and Facebook — and how that experience inspired him to tackle one of robotics’ biggest challenges: making robots work together seamlessly across diverse fleets and environments. From interoperability and observability to performance and safety, this episode explores how InOrbit.AI is building the connective tissue of the robotics world — a “Google Translate for robots” tha...

1 week ago

1 hour 5 minutes

Machine Minds

Episode 108 | Built for the Battlefield: Craitor’s Revolution in On-Demand Manufacturing

From printing parts in combat zones to creating a rugged, mobile printer that works on land, sea, and air — Crater’s mission is transforming logistics and supply chains for the military. Eric shares how the company was born from collaboration with the Marine Corps, what it means to innovate under pressure, and why continuous, in-motion 3D printing could change how we build and repair in the most extreme conditions. Highlights: - Eric’s early days in the rep-rap era of DIY 3D printing and ho...

2 weeks ago

53 minutes

Machine Minds

Episode 107 | Autonomy at Bedrock: Building the Future from the Ground Up | Kevin Peterson

Kevin shares his 20-year journey from building self-driving cars and moon landers to leading autonomy at Waymo and now building machines that can literally move mountains. From lessons learned in scaling robotics startups to his philosophy on product milestones and company culture, this conversation dives deep into the realities of building technology that transforms the physical world. Highlights: - Why the best companies balance short-term sustainable business models with long-term transf...

2 weeks ago

56 minutes

Machine Minds

Episode 106 | Trusted Counsel for Visionaries | Ryan Smith

Ryan and I dig into the legal backbone founders skip until it hurts—how to build an IP strategy that actually matches your business, when patents vs. trade secrets make sense, and why a “north star” patent plan should track where you’re going in 5–10 years, not just what you’re shipping today. We also get into the investor lens on patents (signal, diligence transparency, and moat), what happens to IP if the company pivots—or even shuts down—and why a fractional or early GC can save you 10x th...

1 month ago

45 minutes

Machine Minds

Episode 105 | Inside the Mind of a Growth-Stage Investor | Manas Punhani

I sat down with Manas Punhani, Senior Associate at Woven Capital (Toyota’s growth fund), to dig into how growth investors judge traction, price risk, and help founders scale in industrial tech, robotics, and “physical AI.” We broke down what Toyota’s backing really changes, how to balance moonshots with near-term wins, and the operational details factories care about beyond pure throughput. What we cover How growth investors read “proof points,” set milestones, and think about $50M–$100M reve...

1 month ago

46 minutes

Machine Minds

Episode 104 | AI & Automation Unlocking Materials Discovery | Joseph Krause

Episode 104 | AI & Automation Unlocking Materials Discovery | Joseph Krause In this episode of Machine Minds, I sit down with Joseph Krause, co-founder and CEO of Radical AI. We talk about Joseph’s path from Rice University and the Army National Guard to building Radical AI. He explains how AI and self-driving labs can speed up materials discovery, why failed experiments are critical data, and where this will first change the world—across aerospace, defense, semiconductors, and energy. ...

1 month ago

59 minutes

Machine Minds

Episode 103 | Inside The Defense VC Boom | Nick Snoad

I sat down with Nick Snoad, VP at Marlinspike, to talk about the surge of capital into defense and dual-use tech—and how he actually evaluates teams, markets, and milestones at the earliest stages. What we get into: - Why dual-use matters: bigger markets, more paths to scale - How stage changes the bar: from “prove the tech and market” at seed to “execute and expand” post-A - Using non-dilutive routes (SBIRs, DIU, OTAs, TACFI/STRATFI) without losing the product roadmap - Where adoption i...

2 months ago

39 minutes

Machine Minds

Episode 102 | Active Physical Intelligence Unleashed | Tara Javidi & Sam Bigdeli

How do you get AI to seek the right data in the real world instead of drowning in all of it? In this episode, I sit down with Tara Javidi (UCSD professor and AI researcher) and Sam Bigdeli (repeat founder & former semiconductor supply‑chain exec), co-founders of Kav AI, to talk about “active physical intelligence”—hypothesis‑driven, curiosity‑led AI that hunts for the signals that matter in physical systems. We cover: Why passive, data-soaks-everything AI hits a wall in the physica...

3 months ago

56 minutes

Machine Minds

Episode 101 | AI Powered Compliance = Faster Certification | Akshay Chalana

In this episode I sit down with Akshay Chalana, CEO & co‑founder of Saphira AI, to unpack how "TurboTax for robot compliance” can slash the time, cost, and confusion that stall hardware roll‑outs. We cover: - Why safety & certification are the hidden blockers for robotics at scale - How Saphira’s agent‑based platform turns CAD files, schematics, and risk regs into an actionable compliance plan - Real‑world wins (industrial arms, home humanoids) and what “shift‑left safety” looks l...

3 months ago

53 minutes

Machine Minds

Episode 100 | Robots Built for People | Anthony Jules

We’ve officially hit Episode 100! 🎉 I sat down with Anthony Jules, co-founder & CEO of Robust AI, to unpack how Carter—the cart-shaped AMR that workers can literally steer—delivers a 60 % productivity boost for DHL without changing the warehouse layout. Talking points Why “agency” (humans grabbing the robot’s handle) was the missing piece in previous AMRs.Vision-only navigation, no LiDAR: the leap to 4th-gen mobile robotics.Human-centric UX as the real adoption moat.Hiring for clos...

4 months ago

55 minutes

Machine Minds

Episode 99 | Unlock Human + Machine Potential | Zac Engler

In this conversation I sit down with Zac Engler, founder of Bodhi AI, to talk about turning generative-AI hype into practical wins for smaller companies—and why “shadow-AI” bans often backfire. We cover: The moment Zac realised a recruiter could build a full-stack product in three weeks for < $1 k.Tactical first steps for any team: discovery sprint → 30/60/90 quick-win plan → agentic workflows.The trifurcation of work (AI-only, human-in-loop, human-only) and how to spot the right bucket.W...

4 months ago

49 minutes

Machine Minds

Episode 98 | Flexible Robots Transform Warehouse Strategy | Andy Williams

In this episode I sit down with Andy Williams, EVP Sales – North America at Exotec, to unpack how a single “mobile AS/RS” platform is helping retailers, 3PLs and grocers keep pace with labor shortages and same-day delivery promises. We cover: Why Exotec’s Skypod robots store, climb and travel like no other goods-to-person system.The shift from legacy conveyor projects to agile, software-defined warehouses.What “mobile AS/RS” really means for densification, throughput and expansion.Andy’s les...

4 months ago

51 minutes

Machine Minds

Episode 97 | Robots Tackle Harsh Worksites | James Emerick

In this episode I sit down with James Emerick, co-founder & CEO of Cosmic Robotics, to hear how his family’s four-generation construction roots and a detour into autonomous heavy equipment sparked a new kind of job-site robot. Cosmic’s first product—the “Cosmic 1A”—lifts and places solar panels in 100-degree deserts and icy plains, giving short-staffed EPCs a safer, drop-in replacement for back-breaking manual installs. We talk through the realities of outdoor perception, why a “slightly ...

5 months ago

47 minutes

Machine Minds

Episode 96 | Empowerment Is the New Algorithm | Grace Kay Matelich

In this episode I sit down with Grace Kay Matelich, a philosopher-turned-operator who went from running Montana’s suicide-hotline to scaling AI data-ops at Invisible Technologies—and now to co-founding Bloomscroll, a “light-mirror” alternative to doom-scrolling. We unpack why recommendation engines are already an alignment problem, how subscription-based curation can flip the incentive model, and what it will take to put humans—not algorithms—back in the driver’s seat. We covered: - Lessons...

5 months ago

50 minutes

Machine Minds

Episode 95 | Robots Replace Traditional Warehouses | Yegor Anchyshkin

In this episode I sat down with serial entrepreneur Yegor Anchyshkin, co‑founder & CEO of Instock, to break down why small‑ and mid‑size fulfillment sites need a radically different ASRS architecture. Yegor traced his journey from founding Viewdle (AI video‑search; later acquired by Google) to launching Ukraine’s first online‑grocery service and leading Takeoff Technologies—experiences that shaped Instock’s “one lightweight robot, static grid” design. We dug into: - Why traditional ASRS ...

5 months ago

54 minutes

Machine Minds

Episode 94 | SVB: Powering Startup Success Stories | Julian Nash

In this episode, I sit down with Julian Nash, Managing Director at Silicon Valley Bank, to explore how SVB supports startups and the broader innovation economy. Julian shares insights into how SVB goes beyond traditional banking, providing critical resources, debt financing solutions, and strategic support tailored specifically for Frontier Tech startups. We discuss: - Julian’s unique journey from professional soccer to finance at SVB. - The full suite of SVB's services for early-stage and...

6 months ago

48 minutes

Machine Minds

Episode 93 | Humanoid Robots Built to Mesmerise | Leo Chen

In this episode, I spoke with Leo Chen, Director of US Operations at Engineered Arts. Leo took us on his personal journey—from a childhood fascination sparked by Star Wars to leading teams at groundbreaking robotics projects at Google and now Engineered Arts. We also got an exclusive look at Amica, Engineered Arts’ lifelike humanoid robot, designed to captivate audiences across entertainment, education, and elder care. Key discussion points: - Leo’s career path, from building robotic eels t...

6 months ago

52 minutes

Machine Minds

Episode 92 | Unlocking Potential in Traditional Industries | Neel Mehta

I had a great conversation with Neel Mehta, Partner at G2 Venture Partners, exploring how traditional industries like energy, logistics, and manufacturing are being transformed by technology and sustainability. Neel shared insights from his early career at Morgan Stanley—where he saw firsthand how industries like automotive were disrupted—and explained why G2 targets the “missing middle” of growth-stage companies. We covered: - How Neel’s experience covering Tesla shaped his understanding of...

6 months ago

55 minutes

Machine Minds

Episode 91 | AI to Design Better Clinical Trials | Patrick Leung

In this episode, I sat down with Patrick Leung, CTO at Faro Health, to talk about how they're using AI to tackle huge inefficiencies in clinical trial design. Patrick shared insights from his career—including key roles at Google and Two Sigma—and why he chose to join Faro to help streamline how new drugs get to market. We discussed: - Why traditional clinical trials are becoming increasingly slow and costly. - How Faro’s AI-based approach drastically shortens trial planning from months to ho...

7 months ago

42 minutes