For this edition, #152 of The Robot Industry Podcast, I welcome Caleb Appleton from Bison Ventures.

Bison Ventures is a Venture Capital (VC) firm with $135M AUM for frontier tech. From AI-powered drug discovery to collaborative robotics, Bison backs bold, deeply scientific solutions that have potential for massive commercial scale. An all-engineer team, Bison believes most attractive opportunities exist at the intersection of technical disciplines ignored by mainstream VC. 

Partner Caleb Appleton specializes in physical applications of AI. He’s an early investor in Cobot, a collaborative robotics co. En route to unicorn status following its $100M Series B Previously, Caleb was an investor at Innovation Endeavors, where he focused on frontier robotics (including surgical robotics, $RBOT), applied AI, and next-gen hardware.

My questions for Caleb:

What is series A, B and C?

What is a round?

How do you value a robot company?

How do you fund them?

Where do you get money to manage these companies?

How did you get into the business of robotics and AI?

What is your approach to investing in this sector? 

What’s unique about the Bison team, and how you partner with robotics founders?

You are after the big successes for your investments and time. What does that look like?

What are red flags for you when it comes to investment?

What themes in automation/robotics are you most excited to back right now—and why? It seems much attention is going towards humanoids, but what are your thoughts on this trend vs other paths to pursue?

Robotics is hard because it is both hardware, software, AI and marketing and the long lead time to development. Could you have picked an easier sector? How do you compress this time cycle?

What are the core values and value proposition to being successful in this sector, how do you coach entrepreneurs to not aim for the moon?

What does a de-risked deployment path look like for an early robotics team? What makes a robotics company scalable or suitable for commercialization?

Did we forget to talk about anything?

When you are not helping build robot and AI companies what do you like to do, hobbies?

How can people get a hold of you and find out more about Bison & Caleb Appleton?

Thanks for listening and subscribing and Happy New Year!

I would like to mention A3: the Association for Advancing Automation. they are the leading automation trade association for robotics, vision and imaging, motion control and motors and the industrial artificial intelligence technologies.  Visit Automate dot org to learn more.

If you would like to get in touch with us at THE robot industry podcast, you can find me, Jim Beretta on LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimberetta/

Today’s podcast was produced by Customer Attraction Industrial Marketing and I would like to thank my team: Chris Gray for the music, Geoffrey Bremner for audio production, my business partner Janet and our sponsor: Mecademic Industrial Robots ~ world leading manufacturers of compact and precise industrial robots. 

Warm Regards and success for 2026!

Jim

Jim Beretta

Customer Attraction & The Robot Industry Podcast

London, ON

A shoutout to Windsor Essex's Wendy Stark and the team at Invest WindsorEssex. I was invited to attend their Emerging Technologies in Automation & Mobility Transformation 2025 event in Windsor, and I was lucky to be able to catch up with him.

From DIN rails to terminal blocks to power supplies, Garrett Renders has seen many automation products from a young age. He is currently the Business Development Manager at Phoenix Contact Canada for Ontario. His role is to help clients solve problems using our PC's automation portfolio (which includes controllers, networking, interfaces, and safety). While Phoenix Contact is well known from a product standpoint, his goal is to demonstrate how their value-added centre and solution partners apply technology to empower an all-electric society!

OT Cybersecurity has become a big issue for SME manufacturers.

Automotive industry has been soft with EV.

M Guard Router concentrator.

PLC Next product.

OEE, uptime - customer machines and systems

Unexpected downtime.

The data conundrum: the cost and the efficacy of collecting the right data.

Phoenix Contact and measuring power data from Milton HQ building realtime and online.

Thanks Wendy and Garrett!

If you are from Ontario and users want to reach out and find out more about Phoenix Contact? You can reach out to Garrett here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garrett-renders/

I would like to mention A3: the Association for Advancing Automation. they are the leading automation trade association for robotics, vision and imaging, motion control and motors and the industrial artificial intelligence technologies.  Visit Automate dot org to learn more.

If you would like to get in touch with us at THE robot industry podcast, you can find me, Jim Beretta on LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimberetta/

Today’s podcast was produced by Customer Attraction Industrial Marketing and I would like to thank my team: Chris Gray for the music, Geoffrey Bremner for audio production, my business partner Janet and our new sponsor: Mecademic Industrial Robots ~ world leading manufacturers of compact and precise industrial robots. 

Warm Regards,

Jim

Jim Beretta

Customer Attraction & The Robot Industry Podcast

London, ON

Welcome to podcast # 150! My guest for this edition is Dr. Yun Yao.

Yun Yao, holds a PhD in Electrical Engineering from McGill University, is a dynamic professional known for her creativity and ambition. In 2010, she co-founded Tactile Labs, a non-profit organization that advances haptics research, where her leadership has fostered innovation and collaboration. After completing her PhD, Yun became a senior engineer, designing wireless communication systems, excelling both technically and in leading innovation initiatives. In 2021, she co-founded Soralink to integrate AI and IoT into the food manufacturing and processing industry, aiming to apply cutting-edge technologies to real-world challenges. Yun's career reflects her commitment to pushing technological boundaries, fostering collaboration and driving transformational change across industries.

Designed and made in Canada (Montreal), Soralink offers a complete solution for industrial machine condition monitoring, failure prediction, predictive maintenance, as well as productivity tracking. Their solution includes smart AI sensors, LTE connectivity, and AI prediction engine.

Yun thanks for joining me for the podcast.

Why did you start the company?

Montreal is kind of a hotspot in North America for AI, Why is that?

What is AI?

What is Model Drift?

What is an algorithm?

Tell us about Soralink (are you an integrator)?

People that think AI is Chat GPT?

How are companies ready for AI?

Fit bit for the machines

What are some of the challenges that you face in collecting information

Tell us about AI in Canada manufacturing

What is keeping mfgs awake at nights?

Who are you having the conversations with ? CEO CTO

How do you get started in the conversation; AI in manufacturing

Do you have some Use cases that you can tell us about

When is AI not a good fit?

Is it good to work on a simple project or a big, complex project?

How long does a project take?

Are there ongoing costs to an AI project?

What are the outcomes?

What are the deliverables?

Did we forget to talk about something?

How do people find out more about you and how do they contact you?

What is your booth number at ADM show

Some information about ADM Toronto 2025:

The Advanced Manufacturing show happens in Toronto at the Toronto Congress Center, TCC which is right by the airport, which is actually located in Etobicoke on 650 Dixon Road.

Tuesday, October 21, 2025 • 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Wednesday, October 22, 2025 • 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Thursday, October 23, 2025 • 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

I know that ADM is one big show, but how is the show divided up? Yes there are 6 co-located shows

Packaging | Automation | Design and manufacturing | Plastics and Processing | EV technology

Here is the show URL:

https://www.admtoronto.com/en/lp-general.html

You can use the code ROBOT to register. If that doesn't work try: SHIFT.

Some info on Soralink: https://soralink.co/en/

And to get in touch with Yun: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hsinyun/

See you at the show!

Thanks,

Jim

Jim Beretta

519-716-2262 Mobile

Hello Everyone,

Welcome to The Robot Industry Podcast #149

This episode too is a little different for The Robot Industry Podcast. This episode is about sponsorships and their efficacy. Informa is a client for over 15 years (aka UBM, and Canon Communications).

I have been involved in the ADM (Advanced Design & Manufacturing) Toronto and ADM Montreal shows for many years. If you know me, you may have fielded a phone call or read an email about the show and the efficacy of being involved in trade events.

I have invited Gayle Hutchens, who directs sponsorships at shows.

Some information about ADM Toronto 2025:

The Advanced Manufacturing show happens in Toronto at the Toronto Congress Center, TCC which is right by the airport, which is actually located in Etobicoke on 650 Dixon Road.

Tuesday, October 21, 2025 • 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Wednesday, October 22, 2025 • 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Thursday, October 23, 2025 • 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

I know that ADM is one big show, but how is the show divided up? Yes there are 6 co-located shows

Packaging | Automation | Design and manufacturing | Plastics and Processing | EV technology

Here is the show URL:

https://www.admtoronto.com/en/lp-general.html

You can use the code ROBOT to register. If that doesn't work try: SHIFT.

See you there.

Thanks,

Jim

Jim Beretta

519-716-2262 Mobile

Hello Everyone,

This episode is a little different for The Robot Industry Podcast. I have invited some of my friends from the ADM Toronto 2025 show to join me to talk about the upcoming show. Informa is a client for over 15 years (aka UBM, and Canon Communications).

I have been involved in the ADM Toronto and ADM Montreal shows for many years. If you know me, you may have fielded a phone call or read an email about the show and the efficacy of being involved in trade events.

I have invited Kayle Kvinge, who is the show director, Annie Helfgott our mentoring expert and Gayle Hutchens, who directs sponsorships at shows ( we moved Gayle, and she is up on the next podcast #149) as we ran out of time.

Some information about ADM Toronto 2025:

Happens at Toronto Congress Center on Oct. 21-23, 2025

The Advanced Manufacturing show happens in Toronto at the Toronto Congress Center, TCC which is right by the airport, which is actually located in Etobicoke on 650 Dixon Road.

Tuesday, October 21, 2025 • 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Wednesday, October 22, 2025 • 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Thursday, October 23, 2025 • 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

I know that ADM is one big show, but how is the show divided up? Yes there are 6 co-located shows

Packaging | Automation | Design and manufacturing | Plastics and Processing | EV technology

Who are some of the partners in the event?

There are lots of exhibitors:

Here is the show URL:

https://www.admtoronto.com/en/lp-general.html

You can use the code ROBOT to register. See you there.

Thanks,

Jim

Jim Beretta

519-716-2262 Mobile

Welcome to The Robot Industry Podcast #147. My guest for this segment is Bruce Polson whom I have known for decades. He is a very smart guy.

Bruce has over 30 years of experience in automation and engineering.  He began as a process engineer and consumer of automation, establishing a background in processes such as forming, welding, material handling, joining, and discrete assembly.  In automation, he began as an application engineer and eventually migrated into business development, where he has been for the last 15 years.

Who is Ehrhardt Automation?

How do you buy and automation system?

So Bruce, how do you prepare as a manufacturer?

How do they, the prospective customer, set up a budget?

What if you don’t have a spec document?

What are the key elements of the type of automation company that you might want to engage in?

How about 3rd party suppliers, like robot companies, can they help?

Questions that a prospective customer should ask the supplier?

What if you are a new user of automation?

Did we miss anything?

If someone wants to find out more about how they can put automation into their facility, how do they get a hold of you?

Email and phones are still the best ways.

[email protected] / 952-290-3384

https://www.linkedin.com/in/bruce-polson-aa43b213

When you are not helping people get the automation that they need, what do you like to do?

I would like to acknowledge A3: the Association for Advancing Automation. they are the leading automation trade association for robotics, vision and imaging, motion control and motors and the industrial artificial intelligence technologies.  Visit Automate dot org to learn more.

If you would like to get in touch with us at THE robot industry podcast, you can find me jim beretta on LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimberetta/

Today’s podcast was produced by Customer Attraction Industrial Marketing and I would like to thank my team Chris Gray for the music, Geoffy Bremner for audio production, my business partner Janet and our new sponsor: Mecademic Industrial Robots ~ world leading manufacturers of compact and precise industrial robots. https://mecademic.com/

Warm Regards,

Jim

Jim Beretta

Customer Attraction & The Robot Industry Podcast

Hello Robot Friends. Welcome to edition #146 of The Robot Industry Podcast. My guest today is Vivian Chu.

Vivian Chu is a roboticist with over a decade of experience in human-robot interaction. She created Moxi and Poli, and applied her HRI and machine learning expertise to platforms like PR2, Meka, and Kinova Jaco2. She has worked at Google[X], Honda Research Institute, and IBM Research. Vivian holds a Ph.D. in Robotics from Georgia Tech and an M.S.E. from the University of Pennsylvania. She’s been recognized by MIT Technology Review (35 Innovators Under 35), Fortune (40 Under 40), named a Google Anita Borg Scholar and Stanford EECS Rising Star, awarded Best Cognitive Robotics Paper at ICRA, and featured on Robohub’s 25 Women in Robotics list.

Questions:

Vivian, Tell us about Diligent, who are you and what do you make?

Where are you located?

How did you get interested in robotics and automation?

What is Moxi?

Why did you decide on hospitals as your first use case?

Who are the economic drivers and decision makers in hospital and what are their pain points?

What are some of the surprises that you learned from hospitals, about robotics?

Why Diligent chose to go AI-hybrid, vs all-in on AI?

The importance of execution > demos and what deployment taught Diligent that the lab couldn’t

Building robots with a “human-first approach,” designing robots to serve as coworkers instead of replacements.

The key design elements that make Moxi ultra- adaptable, dexterous, and safe?

Let’s talk about data? Is this something that hospitals are interested in?

You just brought in some new executives to your team.

What is next for Diligent — now that you have proven yourselves in hospitals, do you have plans to expand into offices, factories? What makes your stack capable of doing so?

Future of robotics working with people?

Did we forget to talk about anything?

You are a busy, new mom. When you are not automating, innovating, building robots, or working with companies and AI, what do you enjoy doing for hobbies?

How can people get a hold of you and find out more about Diligent?

I would like to mention A3: the Association for Advancing Automation. they are the leading automation trade association for robotics, vision and imaging, motion control and motors and the industrial artificial intelligence technologies.  Visit Automate dot org to learn more.

If you would like to get in touch with us at THE robot industry podcast, you can find me jim beretta on LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimberetta/

Today’s podcast was produced by Customer Attraction Industrial Marketing and I would like to thank my team: Chris Gray for the music, Geoffy Bremner for audio production, my business partner Janet and our new sponsor: Mecademic Industrial Robots ~ world-leading manufacturers of compact and precise industrial robots. https://mecademic.com/

Thanks, too, to our regular sponsor, Ehrhardt Automation Systems, located in Granite City, Illinois.

Warm Regards,

Jim

Jim Beretta

Customer Attraction & The Robot Industry Podcast

London, ON

Welcome to episode #145 with Shaun Ghafari. Shaun holds a Ph.D., P.Eng. Dean, Engineering at the Faculty of Applied Sciences and Technology (FAST) at Humber College in Toronto.

Faculty of Applied Sciences & Technology (FAST) is growing to meet the needs of industry in engineering, mechatronics, robotics, information technology, data analytics, cybersecurity, sustainable design, and the skilled trades. 

Shaun, Tell me a bit about yourself.

Who is Humber College?

What are the most interesting courses?

You talk to Manufacturers….what are the Challenges for manufacturers?

What are they asking for?

Where do your grads go?

Engagement > Does everyone want AI and machine vision?

How are students prepare for industry? Are they doing anything else?

Support from the college

AI &  robotics? 

Cybersecurity?

Did we forget to talk about anything?

How can people get in touch and find out more?

I would like to mention A3: the Association for Advancing Automation. they are the leading automation trade association for robotics, vision and imaging, motion control and motors and the industrial artificial intelligence technologies.  Visit Automate dot org to learn more.

If you would like to get in touch with us at THE robot industry podcast, you can find me jim beretta on LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimberetta/

Today’s podcast was produced by Customer Attraction Industrial Marketing and I would like to thank my team: Chris Gray for the music, Geoffy Bremner for audio production, my business partner Janet and our new sponsor: Mecademic Industrial Robots ~ world-leading manufacturers of compact and precise industrial robots. https://mecademic.com/

Thanks, too, to our regular sponsor, Ehrhardt Automation Systems, located in Granite City, Illinois.

Warm Regards,

Jim

Jim Beretta

Customer Attraction & The Robot Industry Podcast

London, ON

Welcome to podcast edition #144. I welcome my friend Konrad Konnerth to the pod

Good day, everyone, and welcome to the robot industry podcast . Thanks for joining us and for subscribing.

Konrad, welcome to the podcast. Can you take a few minutes and introduce yourself to our audience?

Tell me about your automation background here in southwestern Ontario (SWO).

What is happening from a high level in automation?

You have a strong background in precision indexing automation from Germany, correct?

Can you tell our audience about your Adapto Solution?

Who are your customers?

Success stories and use cases for Adapto?

Greenhouse automation?

You are involved in the innovation community here in London. Tell me about that.

Did we forget to talk about anything?

When you are not innovating, robotics and automation, what kind of hobbies do you have?

How can people find you if they want to reach out and find out more about Konnexio.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/konradkonnerth

I would like to mention A3: the Association for Advancing Automation. they are the leading automation trade association for robotics, vision and imaging, motion control and motors and the industrial artificial intelligence technologies.  Visit Automate dot org to learn more.

If you would like to get in touch with us at THE robot industry podcast, you can find me jim beretta on LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimberetta/

Today’s podcast was produced by Customer Attraction Industrial Marketing and I would like to thank my team Chris Gray for the music, Geoffy Bremner for audio production, my business partner Janet and our new sponsor: Mecademic Industrial Robots ~ world leading manufacturers of compact and precise industrial robots. https://mecademic.com/

Warm Regards,

Jim

Jim Beretta

Customer Attraction & The Robot Industry Podcast

London, ON

Welcome to edition #143 of The Robot Industry Podcast. For this edition I am interviewing Andrew Perkins. He is a long time automation machine vision expert and is heading up TrueLight Machine Vision, a division of BOS Innovations.

Andrew, how did you get into this industry?

Who are your customers? Manufacturers or other integrators, robotics OEMs (or all three)?

Do you have a typical customer or are they all custom?

Who is TrueLight Machine Vision Integrations?

Tell me a bit about what is going on in automated vision (in the industry)?

Are you busy?

Lighting?, lenses, AI, data, security and robot guidance?

USE CASES

What kind of vision “inquires” do you get from customers?

How do you go about it, do you need a specification before you do a project?

Engineering study?

What does the future look like for vision, any predictions?

Did we forget to talk about anything?

If someone wants to find out how do they get a hold of you?

https://truelightvision.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/perkinsandrew

I would like to acknowledge A3: the Association for Advancing Automation. they are the leading automation trade association for robotics, vision and imaging, motion control and motors and the industrial artificial intelligence technologies.  Visit Automate dot org to learn more.

If you would like to get in touch with us at THE robot industry podcast, you can find me jim beretta on LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimberetta/

Today’s podcast was produced by Customer Attraction Industrial Marketing and I would like to thank my team Chris Gray for the music, Geoffy Bremner for audio production, my business partner Janet and our new sponsor: Mecademic Industrial Robots ~ world leading manufacturers of compact and precise industrial robots. https://mecademic.com/

Warm Regards,

Jim

Jim Beretta

Customer Attraction & The Robot Industry Podcast

London, ON