# Dexterity founder Samir Menon; 2 SPACs fall apart due to China tech crackdown

- Show: [The Robot Report Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast)
- Published: 2021-11-17
- Length: 54m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2021-11-17-dexterity-founder-samir-menon-2-spacs-fall-apart-due-to-china-tech-crackdown
- Listen: https://soundcloud.com/robot-report-podcast/dexterity-founder-samir-menon-2-spacs-fall-apart-due-to-china-tech-crackdown

## Summary

Samir Menon, founder and CEO of Dexterity, explains how the company evolved from Stanford research into a full-stack robotic picking provider for the logistics industry, recently closing a $140 million Series B. Menon details Dexterity's 'robotic intelligence platform' that enables commercial off-the-shelf robots to handle delicate items like packaged bread without damage, and outlines a six-level maturity model for warehouse automation. The episode also covers the collapse of SPAC mergers for autonomous trucking companies Plus and Pony AI due to Chinese regulatory crackdowns, and Gaddock's driverless Walmart delivery milestones.

## Chapters

- [0:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2021-11-17-dexterity-founder-samir-menon-2-spacs-fall-apart-due-to-china-tech-crackdown#t=7) Intro and Autonomous Racing News
- [5:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2021-11-17-dexterity-founder-samir-menon-2-spacs-fall-apart-due-to-china-tech-crackdown#t=300) AMR Acquisitions and SPAC Failures
- [14:47](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2021-11-17-dexterity-founder-samir-menon-2-spacs-fall-apart-due-to-china-tech-crackdown#t=887) Gaddock Autonomous Trucking Milestone
- [20:17](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2021-11-17-dexterity-founder-samir-menon-2-spacs-fall-apart-due-to-china-tech-crackdown#t=1217) Dexterity Origins and Series B Funding
- [25:48](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2021-11-17-dexterity-founder-samir-menon-2-spacs-fall-apart-due-to-china-tech-crackdown#t=1548) Full-Stack Robotics vs. Traditional Integration
- [32:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2021-11-17-dexterity-founder-samir-menon-2-spacs-fall-apart-due-to-china-tech-crackdown#t=1960) Picking Delicate Goods and Platform Approach
- [40:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2021-11-17-dexterity-founder-samir-menon-2-spacs-fall-apart-due-to-china-tech-crackdown#t=2403) Six Levels of Warehouse Automation
- [48:26](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2021-11-17-dexterity-founder-samir-menon-2-spacs-fall-apart-due-to-china-tech-crackdown#t=2906) Future of Mobility and Closing Thoughts

## Topics

- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Robotics & autonomy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/robotics-and-autonomy)
- [Policy, trade & tariffs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/policy-trade-and-tariffs)
- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Dexterity (company)
- Plus (company)
- Pony AI (company)
- Gaddock (company)
- Walmart (company)
- Jung Heinrich (company)
- Arculus (company)
- Kawasaki (company)
- Kleiner Perkins (company)
- Light Speed Ventures (company)
- SoftBank (company)
- Alibaba (company)
- FAW (company)
- DJI (company)
- Waymo (company)
- Uber (company)
- Stanford University (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [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)
- [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)
- [Intelligent Robots and the Warehouse of the Future](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2022-08-16-intelligent-robots-and-the-warehouse-of-the-future) (The Manufacturing Executive)
- [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)
- [Reimagining and Investing in Legacy Industries with Obvious Ventures’ Nan Li](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2021-11-30-reimagining-and-investing-in-legacy-industries-with-obvious-ventures-nan-li) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)

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