Soft robots are solving hard problems in Japan

Slithering robots sounds vaguely horrifying, but it turns out they're incredibly useful.

Soft-robots lack the charisma of their more acrobatically-inclined rigid counterparts, but some startups are betting on the unique role they have to play.

Today we sit down with Toru Ichihashi, the CEO Solaris, and we talk about what it takes to turn a university research project into a viable startup, what happens when Japanese VCs decide it's time for a startup to change CEOs, and the most likely path for soft robots to slither onto the world stage.

It's a great conversation, and I think you'll enjoy it.

Show Notes

The creeping problem with pipes

How to stuff a robot into an industrial pipe

What's driving the early adopters of soft robotics

Turning a university spin-out into a business-focused startup

When do Japanese VCs decide its time to change CEOs

The importance of both funding and marketing partnerships in Japan

Can partnerships help Japanese startups go global?