# The startup journey, from prototype to production

- Show: [The Robot Report Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast)
- Published: 2025-08-22
- Length: 1h 16m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2025-08-22-the-startup-journey-from-prototype-to-production
- Listen: https://soundcloud.com/robot-report-podcast/the-startup-journey-from-prototype-to-production

## Summary

Bren Pierce, CEO and founder of Kinisi Robotics and former CEO of Bear Robotics, discusses the transition from prototype to production for his wheeled humanoid robot, the KR1. He explains why he chose a wheeled base over bipedal legs to manage costs and complexity, leveraging off-the-shelf components like motors and cameras to accelerate development. Pierce details the challenges of deploying AI in warehouses, including the need for onboard compute due to poor connectivity and the difficulty of collecting customer data for training without violating privacy. He also outlines his strategy for scaling production, targeting 1,000 units to unlock manufacturing discounts, and his preference for selling hardware with software licenses rather than using a Robotics-as-a-Service model.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2025-08-22-the-startup-journey-from-prototype-to-production#t=0) Introduction and News: Boston Dynamics Atlas and Field AI
- [13:46](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2025-08-22-the-startup-journey-from-prototype-to-production#t=826) World Humanoid Robot Games and Industry Commentary
- [29:26](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2025-08-22-the-startup-journey-from-prototype-to-production#t=1766) Kinisi Robotics Overview and KR1 Product Launch
- [39:43](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2025-08-22-the-startup-journey-from-prototype-to-production#t=2383) Design Philosophy: Wheels vs. Legs and Cost Management
- [48:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2025-08-22-the-startup-journey-from-prototype-to-production#t=2880) Onboard Compute, AI Architecture, and Data Privacy
- [1:02:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2025-08-22-the-startup-journey-from-prototype-to-production#t=3724) Scaling Production, Pricing, and Go-to-Market Strategy

## Topics

- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Embedded firmware](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/embedded-firmware)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Robotics & autonomy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/robotics-and-autonomy)
- [Sourcing & supply chain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sourcing-and-supply-chain)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Kinisi Robotics (company)
- Bear Robotics (company)
- KR1 (product)
- Boston Dynamics (company)
- Atlas (product)
- Field AI (company)
- Figure (company)
- Unitree (company)
- Galbot (company)
- NVIDIA (company)
- Jetson (chip)
- SoftBank Robotics (company)
- Universal Robots (company)
- Coca-Cola (company)
- Hyundai (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Ep 4- The Hardware Story of Ati Motors | Autonomous Robots for Material movement in Factories](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-story/2025-06-02-ep-4-the-hardware-story-of-ati-motors-autonomous-robots-for-material-movement-in) (The Hardware Story)
- [112: Designing & Commercializing Robotics Inventions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2022-02-02-112-designing-commercializing-robotics-inventions) (Product Startup)
- [Ep. 10: The Scale-Readiness Gap in Robotics | The Robo Success Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robo-success-podcast/2026-06-03-ep-10-the-scale-readiness-gap-in-robotics-the-robo-success-podcast) (The Robo Success Podcast)
- [191: The State of Robotics: Live From the 2024 Robotics Summit & Expo in Boston, MA](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2024-06-25-191-the-state-of-robotics-live-from-the-2024-robotics-summit-expo-in-boston-ma) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [Episode 109: Building robots at home - Dan Nicholson](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2025-02-14-episode-109-building-robots-at-home-dan-nicholson) (Robot Talk)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2025-08-22-the-startup-journey-from-prototype-to-production. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to The Robot Report Podcast.