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BitBuilder’s Release Day

Today (Wednesday 21st August 2024 at 4:00 PM BST) we are releasing episode 001 of BitBuilders.

Keep your eyes peeled on Bricks & Bytes’ LinkedIn channel to ensure you don’t miss the first release.

BitBuilder is a podcast exploring the most anticipated solution to the labour shortage - robotics. 

In addition to robotics, we’ll be releasing the odd episode exploring construction in Space (yes the cosmos) and we’ve already lined up guests who were significant employees at companies like SpaceX and NASA. More on that soon.

But for this week’s insights, we thought we’d give away some of the juicy insights from the first 4 episodes of BitBuilders:

• Episode 1 - starts with Troy Demmer of Gecko Robotics.

• Episode 2 - we’re joined by Alexey Dubov of Mighty Buildings

• Episode 3 - Henning Roedel joins us

• Episode 4 - David Inggs, Head of Robotics at DroneDeploy takes the seat

Be the first to know when the first episode drops👇👇👇

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS
Exclusive Insights on the Future of Building and Space

Troy Demmer - Co-Founder of Gecko Robotics

In episode 001 we discuss the company's journey from developing inspection robots for power plants to serving critical infrastructure industries and government contracts. 

Troy explains how Gecko's robots collect massive amounts of data to create detailed "health maps" of assets, enabling predictive maintenance and lifecycle management.

Troy also shares insights on navigating the challenges of hardware manufacturing and working with public sector clients.

Five key insights:

1. Gecko Robotics started by solving a specific problem for a power plant manager, highlighting the importance of having a co-development partner willing to iterate on early prototypes.

2. The company's robots can collect 10 million data points in a day, compared to about 10,000 readings over a week using traditional manual inspection methods.

3. Gecko operates a fleet of 1,500-2,000 robots, demonstrating that selling outcomes as a service can be more efficient than mass-producing and selling robots directly

4. The company has expanded into government contracts, helping the US Navy improve ship maintenance efficiency and reduce dry dock times.

5. Troy emphasizes the importance of compressing feedback cycles and prioritizing solving customer problems, even if initial solutions don't seem scalable for hardware companies.

Cool fact: Gecko's technology can potentially increase throughput for naval shipbuilders by 50%, significantly improving the production of new military vessels.

Alexey Dubov - Co-Founder of Mighty Buildings

In episode 002—coming Wednesday, August 28th—we discuss Alexey’s journey in developing innovative 3D printing technology for construction. 

Alexey explains their material science approach, manufacturing process, and business model of deploying factories close to demand. 

He also shares insights on the construction industry's future and his experience as an angel investor in construction tech startups.

Five key insights:

1. Mighty Buildings uses a photopolymer composite material that is lighter and stronger than traditional construction materials, allowing for mass customization and efficient production.

2. The company's manufacturing process involves 3D printing, robotic milling, PU foam injection, and automated coating, enabling rapid production of customized building panels.

3. Mighty Buildings' business model focuses on deploying factories close to demand, with a potential ROI of 1-2 years for new factory deployments.

4. The company aims to make their manufacturing process "product agnostic," allowing for the production of various building types (single-family, multi-family, commercial) using the same process.

5. Dubov emphasizes the importance of finding customers and building an advisory board before developing a product in the construction tech space, focusing on solutions that can be easily integrated into existing workflows.

Cool fact: Mighty Buildings can assemble the exterior envelope of a 2,000-square-foot, two-story villa within five work days, significantly faster than traditional construction methods.

Henning Rodel - ex-Robotics Lead at DPR Construction

In episode 003 - coming Wednesday September 04th - Henning chats to us about his journey from researching space construction materials to becoming a robotics expert in the construction industry. 

He shares insights on implementing robotics in construction, the challenges faced by startups in the field, and strategies for successful pilot programs. 

Henning also touches on the future of construction robotics and the importance of solving real-world problems on job sites.

Five key insights:

1. Construction robotics should focus on being tools or assistants to workers rather than replacing them entirely, addressing safety concerns and improving productivity.

2. Startups should conduct short, focused pilots (1-2 weeks) rather than long-term project commitments to quickly validate their technology and value proposition.

3. The four key performance indicators for construction innovations are schedule, cost, quality, and safety, with sustainability, supply chain, and user experience as additional important factors.

4. There's an ongoing debate between Robotics-as-a-Service (RaaS) models and outcome-based pricing, with potential future models combining hardware sales with SaaS offerings.

5. Getting comfortable with job site visits and understanding the construction industry's culture is crucial for robotics startups to succeed in this space.

Cool fact: Rodel's PhD research focused on developing a novel concrete using biology from Earth to bind materials in space, potentially for future lunar or Martian construction projects.

David Inggs - Head of Robotics at DroneDeploy, Co-Founder at Rovos (acquired by DroneDeploy)

In episode 004 - coming Wednesday September 11th - Gabe chats to David, discussing his journey from founding ROCOS, a robotics infrastructure company, to its acquisition by DroneDeploy. 

He shares insights on the challenges and opportunities in the robotics industry, particularly in construction and reality capture. 

Inggs also delves into the current state of mobile robotics, the importance of software infrastructure, and the potential future of humanoid robots.

Five key insights:

1. The robotics industry faces significant challenges in software infrastructure, particularly in navigation and mapping for mobile robots in dynamic environments like construction sites.

2. There's a growing demand for reality capture and automation in industries like construction, energy, and mining, driven by safety concerns, insurance incentives, and the need for accurate digital representations of physical environments.

3. The acquisition of ROCOS by DroneDeploy demonstrates the value of combining aerial and ground-based reality capture technologies to provide a more comprehensive solution for enterprise customers.

4. Early-stage robotics startups should focus on solving specific problems and consider partnering with or being acquired by larger companies to scale their technology and reach a wider market.

5. The future of robotics may see a shift towards humanoid form factors, as they could potentially become more cost-effective and versatile than specialized robots like quadrupeds in the long run.

Cool fact: Disney's robotics team can now produce a robot from scratch in just 12 months, showcasing the rapid advancements in robotics development.

If you’re enthusiastic about robotics (on Earth and in Space) then we look forward to welcoming you on our orbit as we explore the future of construction.

With greetings!

Bricks & Bytes
& Gabriele Tinelli

WEEKLY MUSINGS
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RESEARCH
Robotic Inspections & Reality Capture Drones

Gecko Robotics - Robotic Inspection and Data Analysis Solutions

Gecko Robotics is an innovative technology company specialising in robotic inspection and data analysis solutions for critical infrastructure.

The company combines wall-climbing robots with an AI-powered data platform to offer unique insights into asset conditions.

This helps organisations visualise and manage the health of their physical assets, thereby preventing catastrophic failures and enhancing operational efficiency.

To get early access to the full reports (coming soon) sign up here. Note, this waitlist will CLOSE at 25 members. Don’t miss out.

DroneDeploy - Cloud-control Software Solutions for Drones

DroneDeploy is a leading provider of reality capture software, specialising in drone mapping and photo documentation.

Their mission is to empower companies with the ability to collect, manage, and interpret reality capture data effectively.

By unifying aerial and ground data into a single platform, DroneDeploy aims to transform workflows and improve decision-making processes for its users, which include businesses in construction, agriculture, energy, and more.

To get early access to the full reports (coming soon) sign up here. Note, this waitlist will CLOSE at 25 members. Don’t miss out.

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