How Emesent Turned CSIRO Robotics into a Global Autonomy Company | Dr Stefan Hrabar, Co-founder of Emesent

<p>How do you turn a research project into a global technology company with customers in more than 50 countries?</p><p>In this episode of Manufacturing Tech Australia, Shane Williams and Paul Mason sit down with Dr Stefan Hrabar, Co-founder of Emesent, to explore the journey from CSIRO robotics research to one of Australia&#39;s leading autonomy and mapping technology companies.</p><p>Stefan shares how Emesent identified a critical challenge in underground mining and transformed it into Hovermap, a world-leading autonomous drone and LiDAR mapping solution capable of navigating GPS-denied environments. What began as a research breakthrough has evolved into a global business serving mining, construction, defence, surveying, and infrastructure customers around the world.</p><p>You&#39;ll learn:</p><p>• How Emesent commercialised CSIRO technology and validated early market demand before spinning out as a company.</p><p> • Why underground mining became the perfect proving ground for autonomous navigation and mapping technology.</p><p> • How Hovermap uses LiDAR and SLAM technology to operate where GPS isn&#39;t available.</p><p> • The realities of scaling from a small startup to a team of more than 150 people.</p><p> • Lessons on manufacturing, fundraising, and building sovereign capability in Australia.</p><p> • Emesent&#39;s vision for Cortex AI and a future where autonomous software powers every drone and robot.</p><p>Stefan also shares practical advice for founders, researchers, and manufacturers looking to commercialise innovation, build world-class products, and expand into global markets while remaining rooted in Australia.</p><p>Whether you&#39;re interested in robotics, autonomy, advanced manufacturing, mining technology, defence, AI, or technology commercialisation, this episode offers a fascinating look at how Australian innovation can compete on the world stage.</p><p>Follow Manufacturing Tech Australia on Spotify and leave a review if this episode helped you.</p><p>Show notes and links for this episode: https://www.manufacturingtech.au/episodes/</p>