The Techne Connect

In this episode we speak with Stan Sabatier, R&D Offboard Software Director at Movu Robotics France, about building reliable robotic systems for warehouse environments.

Stan shares his journey from SaaS, infrastructure, media, and entrepreneurship into robotics, and explains why modern robotics is shifting from individual robot performance to full system reliability.

The conversation explores fleet orchestration, observability, explainability, simulation, production resilience, and why staying close to real-world operations is critical. Stan also shares why simplicity is a serious design choice, and why the next generation of robotics talent needs strong system-level thinking.

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 Jesús Manuel Muñoz Tejeda, Founder of Persei Space, about his journey from academia into building a space sustainability startup.

Jesús shares his background in space propulsion, his path through leading universities across Europe and the US, and how he transitioned from research into entrepreneurship.

The conversation focuses on the realities of building a deep tech startup in the space sector, from securing funding and delaying salary to testing ideas before committing full time.

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 Nicolas Moulin-Fournier, Chief Product Officer at Look Up, about his journey from space telecom and strategy consulting to space situational awareness.

Nicolas shares how his time at Eutelsat shaped his approach to product development, customer needs, and bringing complex space services to market. The conversation explores why space is becoming more congested and contested, how Look Up is building radar infrastructure to track objects in low Earth orbit, and why space safety is critical to life on Earth. Nicolas also discusses the skills needed in the space sector, from engineering and AI to product, marketing, and commercial roles.

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 speaks with Benjamin Perez, CEO of Arachnid Systems, about building robotic inspection technology for aerospace, defence, space, and infrastructure.

Benjamin shares how his background in aerospace manufacturing, product distribution, and hands-on engineering shaped the creation of Arachnid Systems. The conversation explores aerospace maintenance, inspection bottlenecks, predictive analytics, robotics, sensor data, and why physical data will play a major role in reducing aircraft downtime.

The episode also covers startup pivots, customer-led product development, company culture, and the skills needed to build robotics systems for highly regulated industries.

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 Brook Leonard, CEO at Rogue Space Systems, about his journey from the US Air Force into commercial space leadership.

Brook shares how his experience as a pilot and leader shaped his approach to building teams, solving complex problems, and driving execution in high-pressure environments. The conversation explores the shift towards a new space economy, where infrastructure, logistics, and autonomy are becoming critical to scaling operations in orbit. Brook also explains how Rogue Space Systems is developing in-orbit logistics, payload containers, servicing vehicles, and autonomous software to support the next generation of space missions.

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 Avi Shabtai, CEO at Ramon Space, about his journey from deep tech and data centres into the space sector.

Avi shares how Ramon Space is building computing infrastructure in orbit to support the next generation of data-driven space applications.

The conversation explores how ideas move from concept to execution, the balance between innovation and commercialisation, and why early customer engagement plays a critical role. Avi also explains how space is shifting from an isolated sector into a connected extension of Earth’s infrastructure, and what this means for engineers and entrepreneurs.

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 Chip Walter, Partner at Marlinspike Partners, about his journey from the US Navy and CIA into venture capital.

Chip shares how his experience across defence, intelligence, and innovation shaped his approach to investing, with a focus on technologies that deliver real impact to the warfighter.

The conversation explores the rise of dual-use technology, why AI and autonomy are reshaping modern defence, and how venture capital plays a role in accelerating capability development. They also discuss common mistakes founders make when raising capital, what investors look for beyond technical strength, and why building the right team and funding strategy is critical to long-term success

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 Ben Cipperley, Chief Strategy Officer at Havoc AI, about his transition from 26 years in the US Navy into defence technology leadership.

Ben shares how his Navy career shaped his approach to strategy, autonomous systems, and decision-making in high-pressure environments.

The conversation explores collaborative autonomy, command and control, multi-domain defence systems, startup culture, and how Havoc AI is helping operators control large numbers of autonomous assets at scale.

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 Rob Alford from Havoc about his transition from the US Navy into one of the fastest-growing defence technology startups.

Rob shares his journey through mechanical engineering, nuclear propulsion systems, aircraft carrier operations, and emerging technology experimentation before moving into autonomous defence systems.

The conversation explores collaborative autonomy, robotics, defence innovation, startup culture, military leadership, and the future of multi-domain autonomous operations across maritime, aerial, and land systems.

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 Sanjay Ralhan, VP of Airworthiness and Certification at Atropos Group, about his 30-year journey across aviation, regulation, certification, and autonomous aircraft development.

Sanjay shares lessons from his time at Boeing, the FAA, Virgin Galactic, and now Atropos Group, where he is helping shape the certification pathway for a clean-sheet autonomous aircraft.

The conversation explores why certification should never be treated as an afterthought, how safety and innovation must evolve together, and why certification expertise is becoming one of the most important skill sets in aviation.

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.