# Vecna’s Daniel Theobald, August robot deals, SoftBank’s Brady Watkins

- Show: [The Robot Report Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast)
- Published: 2020-09-09
- Length: 1h 08m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2020-09-09-vecnas-daniel-theobald-august-robot-deals-softbanks-brady-watkins
- Listen: https://soundcloud.com/robot-report-podcast/ecnas-daniel-theobald-august-robot-deals-softbanks-brady-watkins

## Summary

Daniel Theobald, founder and CEO of Vecna Robotics and co-founder of MassRobotics, discusses the shift from hardware-focused robotics to 'orchestration' software that coordinates robots and humans to increase warehouse throughput by up to 116%. He highlights the importance of interoperability standards and MassRobotics' role in supporting startups, while also sharing his personal passion for agricultural technology on his family farm. The episode also features a recap of August 2020 robotics investments, noting strong activity in autonomous vehicles and manufacturing, and an interview with Brady Watkins, Senior VP and GM at SoftBank Robotics America, who explains SoftBank's focus on the 'Whiz' cleaning robot and its 'Robotics as a Service' model.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2020-09-09-vecnas-daniel-theobald-august-robot-deals-softbanks-brady-watkins#t=0) Introduction and Sponsor Read
- [3:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2020-09-09-vecnas-daniel-theobald-august-robot-deals-softbanks-brady-watkins#t=188) Daniel Theobald on Agriculture and Twisted Fields Farm
- [6:20](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2020-09-09-vecnas-daniel-theobald-august-robot-deals-softbanks-brady-watkins#t=380) Vecna Robotics: Orchestration, AI, and Warehouse Automation
- [16:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2020-09-09-vecnas-daniel-theobald-august-robot-deals-softbanks-brady-watkins#t=964) MassRobotics and Interoperability Standards
- [23:27](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2020-09-09-vecnas-daniel-theobald-august-robot-deals-softbanks-brady-watkins#t=1407) Startup Advice and Vecna's Advanced Development
- [33:22](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2020-09-09-vecnas-daniel-theobald-august-robot-deals-softbanks-brady-watkins#t=2002) August 2020 Robotics Investment Recap
- [43:16](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2020-09-09-vecnas-daniel-theobald-august-robot-deals-softbanks-brady-watkins#t=2596) Brady Watkins on SoftBank Robotics and Whiz
- [1:05:36](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2020-09-09-vecnas-daniel-theobald-august-robot-deals-softbanks-brady-watkins#t=3936) Conclusion and Sponsor Read

## Topics

- [Connected products & IoT](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/connected-products-and-iot)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Crowdfunding & preorders](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/crowdfunding)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)
- [Robotics & autonomy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/robotics-and-autonomy)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Vecna Robotics (company)
- MassRobotics (company)
- SoftBank Robotics America (company)
- Whiz (product)
- Pepper (product)
- Boston Dynamics (company)
- Spot (product)
- Xiao Feng Moners technologies (company)
- Tier 4 (company)
- Shanghai STA Automation (company)
- Process Bio Robotics (company)
- Blue Ocean Robotics (company)
- Gigamedia (company)
- AOLus Robotics (company)
- Pruner Robotics (company)
- BrainOS (product)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [BONUS: Leaders in Robotics, AMRs, and Logistics, Pt. 2 of 2 (brought to you by A3)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2021-11-26-bonus-leaders-in-robotics-amrs-and-logistics-pt-2-of-2-brought-to-you-by-a3) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [A Conversation in Berlin about Robot Operations (#RobOps) with Florian Pestoni, Co-Founder and CEO of InOrbit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2022-08-09-a-conversation-in-berlin-about-robot-operations-robops-with-florian-pestoni-co-f) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [173: Leveraging Robotics in an Unstructured World with Dexterity's Michael Patrick Perry](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2024-02-20-173-leveraging-robotics-in-an-unstructured-world-with-dexteritys-michael-patrick) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [Deploying Intelligent Robots at Scale with Dexterity CEO Samir Menon](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2021-12-28-deploying-intelligent-robots-at-scale-with-dexterity-ceo-samir-menon) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [BONUS: Leaders in Machine Vision and Robotics: Live from Boston, Pt. 2 of 2 (brought to you by A3)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2022-12-23-bonus-leaders-in-machine-vision-and-robotics-live-from-boston-pt-2-of-2-brought) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)

## Citing this page

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