Can micro-tractors replace an aging workforce in rural India? Can micro-entrepreneurs help finance the “robots as a service” dream?

This week Kit and Ray go transcontinental to interview entrepreneur Trivikram Kumar, founder of Xmachines a robotics start-up focused on providing solutions for agricultural and landbased applications.

Vikram shares his thoughts on the recent FIRA event in California and why Xmachines decided to attend and Kit plays match maker recommending friend of the pod Tom Beach to help Vikram find a way in to the UK market.

Vikram also shares his background as an engineer and how he started the company after moving back to India after studying in Hong Kong and what inspired him to start the business. The pair gain a fascinating insight into how ICRISAT helped to incubate and support Vikram in his mission and how he has tuned the Xmachines business model to work in both the domestic and international markets.

Vikram also explains the surreal story of how applying for a bank account led him to be on Indian Shark Tank and ultimately landed him the financial backers, Namita Thapar and Ritesh Agarwa to help him grow his business domestically and internationally.

This is an extra special episode and worth tuning in for…