Teaching
I teach two courses in Carnegie Mellon’s Master of Science in Robotic Systems Development program — where I teach students that just because you can build something, doesn’t mean you should. Talking to the customer and understanding the market need is critical to success.
At a glance
- Role
- Adjunct faculty
- Program
- MRSD, CMU Robotics Institute
- Courses
- 16-697 · 16-698
Courses
Introduction to Robotics Business
A comprehensive overview of what it takes to run a robotics startup or business — funding strategies, intellectual property, accounting, government contracting, hiring and managing employees, and the process of selling a company. Guest lectures from industry experts and successful robotics entrepreneurs bring real-world insight, with deep dives into markets such as mining, construction, and agricultural technology.
Coursework centers on team presentations, a mid-term, and a patent analysis in which each team evaluates a robotics patent for novelty, value, competitive landscape, and market demand.
Key topics
- Funding: venture capital, government grants & alternatives
- Intellectual property: patents & open source
- Business models, including Robot-as-a-Service
- Hiring, compensation & employee equity
- Accounting & financial health
- Selling a company: valuation & due diligence
Creating a Robotics Startup
A hands-on introduction to creating and launching a robotics startup. Teams develop and refine a startup idea across the semester — conducting real customer interviews and iterating on their business model as market feedback comes in — with guest lectures from successful robotics entrepreneurs along the way.
Each team presents four times as their idea matures, from initial concept through market and models to final lessons learned.
Key topics
- Lean startup methodology
- Customer discovery interviews
- Business Model Canvas
- Market sizing: TAM, SAM & SOM
- Value propositions
- Revenue models, cost estimation & pricing
- Pitching business ideas
Bootstrapping a robotics company
In 2015 I went back to CMU to give a Robotics Institute Seminar on my experiences to date in growing Neya. This was before the sale. The seminar was live streamed and recorded.