Andra Keay is the Managing Director of Silicon Valley Robotics, non-profit industry group supporting innovation and commercialization of robotics technologies. Andra is also founder of the Robot Launch global startup competition and a mentor, investor and advisor to startups, accelerators and think tanks, with a strong interest in commercializing socially positive robotics and AI.

Andra co-founded Robohub, the global robotics research news site, building on her background in film, television and media production, internet and computing technologies, with degrees in Interaction, Communication and Human/Robot Cultural Studies.

She also co-founded Robot Garden, a robotics makerspace and teaches Interaction Design and Theory. Andra has a particular interest in understanding diversity and representation in robotics and AI and started the Women in Robotics community.

In this podcast, Andra discusses opportunities and challenges for startups in robotics, and what is going on in the robotics community.

She talks to our host Per Sjöborg about how her organization Silicon Valley Robotics was formed and what they do. One example of networking events they organize is the annual Robot Block Party.

Andra also shares her views on the areas of robotics where we will see significant developments in the near future. Further, Andra and Per discuss how developments in for example agricultural robotics can feed improvements in other industries, including home robots.