In this episode of The Techne Connect, Matt Trossen, CEO and Founder of Trossen Robotics, shares how he built a twenty-one-year company that now supports leading machine learning and teleoperation research teams.

He talks about rebuilding Trossen’s product line for the new wave of data-driven robotics, the shift toward low-cost servos, and the growing demand for full-stack solutions from hardware to cloud.

Matt discusses leadership, hiring, and why strong portfolios matter for young engineers. He also reflects on daily habits, continuous learning, and the mindset required to build a career in robotics. This episode gives clear advice for anyone aiming to enter a fast-moving and competitive industry.

The Techne Connect Podcast 🎧

Thank you for listening to Techne Connect! This podcast takes you inside the companies and conversations shaping the future of engineering.

From space and defence to robotics, AI, clean energy, advanced manufacturing and next-generation mobility, each episode features the founders, engineers and technology leaders building tomorrow's world.

Through candid discussions on innovation, leadership, product development and career journeys, the podcast uncovers the ideas, challenges and breakthroughs driving the world's fastest-moving industries. Whether you're an engineer, founder, investor or simply fascinated by emerging technology.

Techne Connect offers a front-row seat to the people creating what's next.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Techne Connect, we speak with Jamie Palmer, CTO and Co-Founder of Icarus Robotics. Jamie explains how Icarus is building free flying dexterous robots for space stations to support astronauts with cargo handling, maintenance and experimental tasks in microgravity.

He shares his journey from mechanical engineering at Trinity College Dublin to Formula One performance engineering, robotics research in New York and founding Icarus through Entrepreneur First. Jamie discusses human robot teaming, the need for real world deployment, and why data from field operations is central to training the next generation of autonomous robots.

He also speaks about the challenge of space labour, the value of general purpose manipulation and the path toward deploying Icarus robots to the ISS in 2027. This episode offers insight into robotics, microgravity engineering and the skills needed for the future of physical AI.

The Techne Connect Podcast 🎧

Thank you for listening to Techne Connect! This podcast takes you inside the companies and conversations shaping the future of engineering.

From space and defence to robotics, AI, clean energy, advanced manufacturing and next-generation mobility, each episode features the founders, engineers and technology leaders building tomorrow's world.

Through candid discussions on innovation, leadership, product development and career journeys, the podcast uncovers the ideas, challenges and breakthroughs driving the world's fastest-moving industries. Whether you're an engineer, founder, investor or simply fascinated by emerging technology.

Techne Connect offers a front-row seat to the people creating what's next.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Techne Connect, we speak with Margherita Cardi, Vice President for Programs and Business Development at Tyvak International. Margherita explains how Tyvak designs and delivers complete small satellite missions, from requirements through to launch and operations, and why end to end exposure is central to engineering growth.

She shares her journey from studying aerospace engineering in Rome to working on the Vega launch base in Kourou, then joining Tyvak as one of the first team members. Margherita talks about building a company from three people to a full mission integrator, the challenges of programme management and the importance of adaptability in a fast moving environment.

She also highlights her role leading the Hera Milani CubeSat mission for ESA, the impact of deep space operations on team development and the lessons learned from managing multi partner programmes. This episode offers clear insight into satellite missions, engineering leadership and the skills needed to succeed in modern space companies.

The Techne Connect Podcast 🎧

Thank you for listening to Techne Connect! This podcast takes you inside the companies and conversations shaping the future of engineering.

From space and defence to robotics, AI, clean energy, advanced manufacturing and next-generation mobility, each episode features the founders, engineers and technology leaders building tomorrow's world.

Through candid discussions on innovation, leadership, product development and career journeys, the podcast uncovers the ideas, challenges and breakthroughs driving the world's fastest-moving industries. Whether you're an engineer, founder, investor or simply fascinated by emerging technology.

Techne Connect offers a front-row seat to the people creating what's next.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Techne Connect, Paolo Pino, Chief Technology Officer and Co-Founder of Volta Space Technologies, speaks about how his team is building wireless energy transmission systems to power lunar missions and extend their lifespan from days to years.

Paolo shares his journey from academia to entrepreneurship, his work developing Volta’s first space-qualified laser systems, and the challenges of bridging theoretical research with real-world innovation.

He discusses leadership, startup culture, and why building the “energy grid for the Moon” could redefine the future of space infrastructure. Paolo also reflects on lessons from scaling a deep-tech company, the importance of collaboration, and the new opportunities emerging in space technology.

The Techne Connect Podcast 🎧

Thank you for listening to Techne Connect! This podcast takes you inside the companies and conversations shaping the future of engineering.

From space and defence to robotics, AI, clean energy, advanced manufacturing and next-generation mobility, each episode features the founders, engineers and technology leaders building tomorrow's world.

Through candid discussions on innovation, leadership, product development and career journeys, the podcast uncovers the ideas, challenges and breakthroughs driving the world's fastest-moving industries. Whether you're an engineer, founder, investor or simply fascinated by emerging technology.

Techne Connect offers a front-row seat to the people creating what's next.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we speak with Dominic Perez, CTO at Curtiss-Wright Corporation. Dominic explains how the company delivers rugged, swap-optimised systems for mission-critical communications across land, sea, air and space platforms.

He shares his journey from QA engineer to CTO, the value of learning adjacent disciplines and the mentors who shaped his approach to engineering, leadership and strategy. Dominic discusses the evolution of tactical networks, edge processing, secure communications and the shift toward software-defined defence systems. He also highlights the impact of LEO satellites, AI at the edge and the growing cyber threat that extends far beyond the battlefield.

Dominic reflects on scaling PacStar through a 400 million acquisition, building multidisciplinary teams and the importance of diversity, mentoring and developing the next generation of engineers. This episode offers direct insight into defence technology, leadership and emerging challenges across modern military communications.

The Techne Connect Podcast 🎧

Thank you for listening to Techne Connect! This podcast takes you inside the companies and conversations shaping the future of engineering.

From space and defence to robotics, AI, clean energy, advanced manufacturing and next-generation mobility, each episode features the founders, engineers and technology leaders building tomorrow's world.

Through candid discussions on innovation, leadership, product development and career journeys, the podcast uncovers the ideas, challenges and breakthroughs driving the world's fastest-moving industries. Whether you're an engineer, founder, investor or simply fascinated by emerging technology.

Techne Connect offers a front-row seat to the people creating what's next.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Techne Connect, we speak with Mike Lawton, Director and Co-Founder of Oxford Dynamics and long-time entrepreneur. Mike shares how he built five companies, the lessons learned from early ventures and why team, timing and technology must align for a business to work.

He explains how to turn ideas into real products, validate markets early and avoid the common traps faced by academic founders. Mike also discusses timing pitfalls, from being too far ahead of the curve to winning MOD contracts after predicting the rise of natural-language AI years before it reached the mainstream.

He gives practical guidance on leadership, work-life balance, startup culture and the traits he looks for in engineers joining Oxford Dynamics. This episode offers clear insight for anyone considering entrepreneurship, AI, robotics or early-stage innovation.

The Techne Connect Podcast 🎧

Thank you for listening to Techne Connect! This podcast takes you inside the companies and conversations shaping the future of engineering.

From space and defence to robotics, AI, clean energy, advanced manufacturing and next-generation mobility, each episode features the founders, engineers and technology leaders building tomorrow's world.

Through candid discussions on innovation, leadership, product development and career journeys, the podcast uncovers the ideas, challenges and breakthroughs driving the world's fastest-moving industries. Whether you're an engineer, founder, investor or simply fascinated by emerging technology.

Techne Connect offers a front-row seat to the people creating what's next.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Techne Connect, Víctor Mayoral-Vilches, Chief Scientific Officer and Founder of Alias Robotics, explores and discusses the fast-growing world of robot cybersecurity.

Víctor shares how his team “hacks to protect,” securing robots used across healthcare, defence, and industrial automation. He explains why safety and security are inseparable in robotics, how generative AI is transforming cyber defence, and why automation will soon outpace human capability in identifying threats.

The conversation covers his early role in developing ROS2, building and selling multiple robotics startups, and pioneering AI-driven cybersecurity. Víctor also reflects on his lessons from academia, the skills that future roboticists need, and why building real robots matters more than simulations.

The Techne Connect Podcast 🎧

Thank you for listening to Techne Connect! This podcast takes you inside the companies and conversations shaping the future of engineering.

From space and defence to robotics, AI, clean energy, advanced manufacturing and next-generation mobility, each episode features the founders, engineers and technology leaders building tomorrow's world.

Through candid discussions on innovation, leadership, product development and career journeys, the podcast uncovers the ideas, challenges and breakthroughs driving the world's fastest-moving industries. Whether you're an engineer, founder, investor or simply fascinated by emerging technology.

Techne Connect offers a front-row seat to the people creating what's next.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Techne Connect, Robert Blank, VP of Product and Growth at Lucid Bots, shares how his team is redefining commercial robotics through purpose-built innovation.

Robert explains how Lucid’s aerial and ground-based robots are tackling dull, dirty, and dangerous work, from automated cleaning to industrial painting, and why speed, iteration, and real-world deployment are key to their success.

He reflects on his unconventional path from biology to robotics, the lessons learned from startup challenges, and why curiosity, resilience, and empathy drive effective product leadership.

Finally, Robert discusses scaling robotic production, the hype around humanoids, and how Lucid’s fearless culture and rapid engineering cycles are building the next generation of field-ready automation.

The Techne Connect Podcast 🎧

Thank you for listening to Techne Connect! This podcast takes you inside the companies and conversations shaping the future of engineering.

From space and defence to robotics, AI, clean energy, advanced manufacturing and next-generation mobility, each episode features the founders, engineers and technology leaders building tomorrow's world.

Through candid discussions on innovation, leadership, product development and career journeys, the podcast uncovers the ideas, challenges and breakthroughs driving the world's fastest-moving industries. Whether you're an engineer, founder, investor or simply fascinated by emerging technology.

Techne Connect offers a front-row seat to the people creating what's next.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode we speak with Quintin Jones, Head of Spire North America. Quintin explains how space based data, weather modelling and RF geolocation are shaping new solutions across defence, logistics, climate resilience and national security.

He shares his career journey from Marine Corps infantry officer to senior defence leader, including his time supporting high level decision making in the Pentagon. Quintin discusses the evolution of space data, the shift toward dual use systems and the challenge of turning complex satellite insights into information leaders can act on. He also highlights how space based sensing supports global stability, supply chains and security operations.

Quintin reflects on the future of small satellites, the impact of lower launch costs and the rise of AI driven analytics. This episode offers clear insight into space data, leadership, decision intelligence and the skills needed for the next generation of space professionals.

The Techne Connect Podcast 🎧

Thank you for listening to Techne Connect! This podcast takes you inside the companies and conversations shaping the future of engineering.

From space and defence to robotics, AI, clean energy, advanced manufacturing and next-generation mobility, each episode features the founders, engineers and technology leaders building tomorrow's world.

Through candid discussions on innovation, leadership, product development and career journeys, the podcast uncovers the ideas, challenges and breakthroughs driving the world's fastest-moving industries. Whether you're an engineer, founder, investor or simply fascinated by emerging technology.

Techne Connect offers a front-row seat to the people creating what's next.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The Techne Connect, we speak with Todd Hughes, Chief Innovation Officer at Scientific Systems. Todd explains how the company develops autonomous systems for contested, GPS-denied environments and why software-centric autonomy will shape the next generation of defence robotics.

He shares his journey from academic philosophy to DARPA programme management, outlining the origins of modern AI techniques, the limits of current machine learning and the need for world models, open architectures and rigorous ethical thinking. Todd also speaks about the future of multi-agent collaboration, autonomy without human oversight and the moral responsibility involved in deploying intelligent systems at scale.

He gives clear guidance for engineers on critical thinking, interdisciplinary learning and tackling hard open-world robotics problems. This episode offers a direct look at autonomy, defence innovation and the skills needed for the next decade of AI.

The Techne Connect Podcast 🎧

Thank you for listening to Techne Connect! This podcast takes you inside the companies and conversations shaping the future of engineering.

From space and defence to robotics, AI, clean energy, advanced manufacturing and next-generation mobility, each episode features the founders, engineers and technology leaders building tomorrow's world.

Through candid discussions on innovation, leadership, product development and career journeys, the podcast uncovers the ideas, challenges and breakthroughs driving the world's fastest-moving industries. Whether you're an engineer, founder, investor or simply fascinated by emerging technology.

Techne Connect offers a front-row seat to the people creating what's next.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.