In this episode we speak Ken Macken, Founder and CEO of Workr, a robotics company focused on solving global labour shortages through autonomous workforce solutions.

Ken shares his journey from hands-on manufacturing roles to building multiple companies, and explains why the future of robotics is not about hype, but about delivering consistent output in industries where labour is disappearing. He breaks down how to build a business from a real problem, why customer value comes before technology, and what founders need to understand before making the leap into entrepreneurship.

The conversation also explores the global shift towards automation, the reality behind workforce shortages, and why robotics will become a core part of productivity across every industry.

Thank you for listening to The Techne Connect Podcast - where we go behind the tech and ahead of the curve.

But we don’t just share stories, we help build them. At Techne Talent, we connect ambitious people with opportunities across the very industries we feature. If you’re inspired by what you hear, speak to us today about where your skills could take you.

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In this episode of Behind the Robot we speak with Csaba Hartmann, a leader in the Robotics Industry

Csaba shares his journey from Hungary into robotics, consulting, electric vehicles, humanoids, and deep tech investing. He explains what it takes to scale hardware companies, shorten supply chains, improve manufacturing, and build operational systems that help robotics teams move faster.

The conversation also explores where robotics is heading next, why practical and applied systems will matter, and what founders and engineers need to understand about building real products in fast-moving environments.

Thank you for listening to The Techne Connect Podcast - where we go behind the tech and ahead of the curve.

But we don’t just share stories, we help build them. At Techne Talent, we connect ambitious people with opportunities across the very industries we feature. If you’re inspired by what you hear, speak to us today about where your skills could take you.

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In this episode we speak with Max Hjalmarsson, Co-Founder and CEO of Airpelago, about his entrepreneurial journey and the growth of one of Europe’s leading drone inspection companies.

Max shares how Airpelago evolved from an idea into a fast-scaling business focused on power line inspections using autonomous drone operations. The conversation explores aviation safety culture, drone regulations, automation, AI, infrastructure monitoring, and how Airpelago is helping energy companies improve grid reliability and prevent blackouts.

The episode also covers startup growth, hiring culture, scaling internationally, and why the future of drone operations will rely on automation, regulation, and operational efficiency.

Thank you for listening to The Techne Connect Podcast - where we go behind the tech and ahead of the curve.

But we don’t just share stories, we help build them. At Techne Talent, we connect ambitious people with opportunities across the very industries we feature. If you’re inspired by what you hear, speak to us today about where your skills could take you.

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In this episode we speak with Pierre Bi, Founder and CEO of enshift, about his entrepreneurial journey and mission to decarbonise real estate across Europe.

Pierre shares how his background in mechanical engineering, battery systems, air purification, and renewable energy shaped the creation of enshift. The conversation explores building a startup, managing risk, renewable energy adoption, battery storage, grid resilience, and why real estate plays a major role in Europe’s clean energy transition.

The episode also covers enshift’s one-stop-shop approach to solar, heat pumps, battery storage, and energy asset management, as well as the skills needed to scale clean energy infrastructure.

Thank you for listening to The Techne Connect Podcast - where we go behind the tech and ahead of the curve.

But we don’t just share stories, we help build them. At Techne Talent, we connect ambitious people with opportunities across the very industries we feature. If you’re inspired by what you hear, speak to us today about where your skills could take you.

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In this episode we sit down with Brad King, CEO and Co-Founder of Orbion Space Technology, to discuss the role of propulsion in the next phase of the space economy.

Brad shares his journey from aerospace engineering into leadership, and explains how Orbion was built around a growing market need for reliable, fuel-efficient propulsion systems for satellites. He breaks down how in-space mobility supports orbit raising, station keeping, collision avoidance, and deorbiting, and why those capabilities are becoming more important as the space sector scales.

The conversation also covers the growth of New Space, the impact of lower launch costs, the importance of manufacturing capacity and reliability, and why systems-level engineering is becoming a critical skill across the industry.

Thank you for listening to The Techne Connect Podcast - where we go behind the tech and ahead of the curve.

But we don’t just share stories, we help build them. At Techne Talent, we connect ambitious people with opportunities across the very industries we feature. If you’re inspired by what you hear, speak to us today about where your skills could take you.

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In this episode we speak with Ben Gliwa, Vice President of Engineering and Asset Management at Bulk Infrastructure.

Ben shares his journey from mechanical engineering in Australia to leading operations and engineering teams across Europe, including roles at AWS and Equinix. He explains how his background in utilities shaped his approach to managing large-scale, mission-critical infrastructure.

The conversation explores how the data centre sector is evolving, driven by AI, higher compute density, and rapid deployment demands. Ben breaks down the shift from traditional air-cooled environments to complex liquid cooling systems, and why mechanical, electrical, and controls engineering are becoming more critical than ever.

Thank you for listening to The Techne Connect Podcast - where we go behind the tech and ahead of the curve.

But we don’t just share stories, we help build them. At Techne Talent, we connect ambitious people with opportunities across the very industries we feature. If you’re inspired by what you hear, speak to us today about where your skills could take you.

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In this episode we speak with Allen McAfee, CTO of Fuse Integration.

Allen shares his path from military service into engineering, startup life, and defence technology leadership. He reflects on how his background shaped his approach to problem solving, leadership, and building systems that serve real operational needs.

The conversation explores airborne networking, mission systems, and the growing importance of connectivity across defence platforms. Allen explains how Fuse Integration is helping modernise legacy systems, why interoperability matters, and what it takes to build technology that gives operators faster access to critical information.

Thank you for listening to The Techne Connect Podcast - where we go behind the tech and ahead of the curve.

But we don’t just share stories, we help build them. At Techne Talent, we connect ambitious people with opportunities across the very industries we feature. If you’re inspired by what you hear, speak to us today about where your skills could take you.

👉 Don’t miss an episode: Follow and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

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In this episode we speak with David Liu, Director of Engineering at AeroVironment, about his journey from Northrop Grumman to Facebook and Meta, before moving into defence robotics at AV.

David shares how his experience across aerospace, big tech, connectivity, smart glasses, and advanced aircraft systems shaped his approach to engineering leadership. He explains how lessons from Silicon Valley, including fast iteration, early integration, openness, ownership, and managing technical debt, are now helping shape modern defence technology.

The conversation explores the future of robotic systems, from one operator managing multiple platforms to heterogeneous autonomous systems working together on shared missions. David also discusses the importance of AI efficiency, battery technology, material science, manufacturing, and why strong engineering culture is key to building reliable systems at scale.

Thank you for listening to The Techne Connect Podcast - where we go behind the tech and ahead of the curve.

But we don’t just share stories, we help build them. At Techne Talent, we connect ambitious people with opportunities across the very industries we feature. If you’re inspired by what you hear, speak to us today about where your skills could take you.

👉 Don’t miss an episode: Follow and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

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In this episode we speak with Deepak Jayaraj, VP of Hardware at Four Growers, a robotics company focused on autonomous harvesting in greenhouse environments.

Deepak shares his journey from control systems and space robotics in India to scaling real-world products across medical devices and agriculture. He explains what it takes to move from a working prototype to a reliable product deployed in the field, and why most robotics companies underestimate that gap.

The conversation explores the challenges of building hardware that operates in unpredictable environments, how AI is shaping hardware development, and why systems thinking is critical for engineers working in robotics. Deepak also reflects on scaling under pressure during COVID, building manufacturing infrastructure from scratch, and what it takes to deliver products that create real value for customers.

Thank you for listening to The Techne Connect Podcast - where we go behind the tech and ahead of the curve.

But we don’t just share stories, we help build them. At Techne Talent, we connect ambitious people with opportunities across the very industries we feature. If you’re inspired by what you hear, speak to us today about where your skills could take you.

👉 Don’t miss an episode: Follow and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

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In this episode of Behind the Power, we speak with Xu She, Senior Director of Engineering at Lunar Energy.

Xu shares his journey from studying electronics in China to building a career in the US across renewable energy, electrification, and energy storage. He reflects on the moves that shaped his career, from research and large corporates to joining a high growth startup environment.

The conversation explores the role of residential energy storage in the future of the grid, why renewable energy and storage are becoming mission critical, and how customer experience is becoming as important as hardware performance. Xu also explains why system thinking is one of the most valuable engineering skills, and why startups offer such a steep learning curve for those willing to take on the challenge.

Thank you for listening to The Techne Connect Podcast - where we go behind the tech and ahead of the curve.

But we don’t just share stories, we help build them. At Techne Talent, we connect ambitious people with opportunities across the very industries we feature. If you’re inspired by what you hear, speak to us today about where your skills could take you.

👉 Don’t miss an episode: Follow and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

📸 For behind-the-scenes content, follow us on Instagram: @techne_talent

💼 Explore opportunities and connect with us on LinkedIn: Techne Talent

Inspire your future. Plug into what’s next.

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