With the global robotics and automation space expected to quadruple in size over the next five years, it seems like an obvious theme for ETF investors to be over-allocated to. But with the proliferation of funds offering exposure - there are six funds with the word "Robotics" in their names - choosing the right one can be challenging. ROBO Global was first to market in this space, launching its flagship ROBO Global Robotics and Automation Index ETF (ROBO) all the way back in 2013. ROBO's Director of Research Jeremie Capron joins the podcast and offers an in-depth look at the Robotics space - and the painstaking research process he believes sets ROBO apart from its competitors.
Show Notes

3:00 - Defining the robotics and automation space: What makes it such a compelling investment opportunity?

7:00 - What's the current market size of this space? What are reasonable growth estimates?

9:15 - What still has to be overcome technically to achieve real growth in this space?

16:15 - Will the current pandemic supercharge robotics growth across a wider range of industries?

20:45 - Are there concerns about robotics, job loss and the human toll that is likely to take. Do these concerns enter into the company selection process?

25:45 - What is the selection process of the ROBO index?

28:45 - Passive indexing vs. active management: How much human bias is in the ROBO index selection process?

31:30 - Under the hood: Weighting methodology, sector breakdown, reconstitution frequency

36:00 - Why is the expense ratio a relatively high 95 basis points?

38:45 - Breaking down the key differences between ROBO and BOTZ

43:45 - Beyond ROBO: The ROBO Global Artificial Intelligence ETF (THNQ)

46:30 - The ROBO Global Healthcare Technology and Innovation ETF (HTEC) - Underlying methodology and how it differs from other Med-Tech ETFs?

49:30 - A couple of examples of stocks in this index: (TDOC), (PIAHY), (LVGO), (ILMN), (CRSP), (EDIT)


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