# The picks-and-shovels strategy behind the robotics boom

- Show: [The Robot Report Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast)
- Published: 2026-09-18
- Length: 1h 26m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2026-09-18-the-picks-and-shovels-strategy-behind-the-robotics-boom
- Listen: https://soundcloud.com/robot-report-podcast/picksandshovels

## Summary

Teddy Haggerty, founder and CEO of RoboStore and Robo Inc., explains his strategy of selling 'picks and shovels' in the robotics boom by focusing on distribution, education, and integration rather than building general-purpose humanoids. He details how RoboStore became the North American distributor for Unitree robots, leveraging his background in drones and crypto to build a curriculum-based sales model. Haggerty then describes the pivot to Robo Inc., where his company localizes solutions by integrating third-party hardware and software stacks to address specific use cases in healthcare, security, education, and small business, effectively acting as a systems integrator and robotic service provider.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2026-09-18-the-picks-and-shovels-strategy-behind-the-robotics-boom#t=0) Introduction and SoftBank/RAI Institute News
- [9:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2026-09-18-the-picks-and-shovels-strategy-behind-the-robotics-boom#t=544) Agility Robotics Digit 5 Launch and Design
- [24:53](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2026-09-18-the-picks-and-shovels-strategy-behind-the-robotics-boom#t=1493) Universal Robots Gen 7 and InOrbit Open Source
- [33:32](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2026-09-18-the-picks-and-shovels-strategy-behind-the-robotics-boom#t=2012) Teddy Haggerty: RoboStore Origin Story
- [46:18](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2026-09-18-the-picks-and-shovels-strategy-behind-the-robotics-boom#t=2778) Market Reality: R&D vs. Commercial Deployment
- [55:37](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2026-09-18-the-picks-and-shovels-strategy-behind-the-robotics-boom#t=3337) Robo Inc. Pivot to Localized Solutions
- [1:07:25](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2026-09-18-the-picks-and-shovels-strategy-behind-the-robotics-boom#t=4045) Building Custom Software and Autonomy Stacks
- [1:16:34](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2026-09-18-the-picks-and-shovels-strategy-behind-the-robotics-boom#t=4594) Robotics as a Service (RAS) Economics

## Topics

- [Robotics & autonomy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/robotics-and-autonomy)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Embedded firmware](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/embedded-firmware)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- RoboStore (company)
- Robo Inc. (company)
- Unitree (company)
- Agility Robotics (company)
- Digit 5 (product)
- Universal Robots (company)
- InOrbit (company)
- Figure (company)
- SoftBank (company)
- RAI Institute (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [247: Lessons from a Serial Entrepreneur: Mark DeSantis on Startups, Robotics, and Commercializing Tech](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2025-07-22-247-lessons-from-a-serial-entrepreneur-mark-desantis-on-startups-robotics-and-co) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [Using Robots in High-Mix, Low-Volume Environments w/ Josh Gruenstein](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2025-01-28-using-robots-in-high-mix-low-volume-environments-w-josh-gruenstein) (The Manufacturing Executive)
- [An Interview with Jason Huggins](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2017-11-27-an-interview-with-jason-huggins) (The Amp Hour)
- [Building an Automation Company on Ambition and Hustle with Malachi Greb](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2022-11-15-building-an-automation-company-on-ambition-and-hustle-with-malachi-greb) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [Accessible Robotics Solutions for Niche Applications w/ Colin Riggs and Dianne Abruzzini Riggs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2023-11-21-accessible-robotics-solutions-for-niche-applications-w-colin-riggs-and-dianne-ab) (The Manufacturing Executive)

## Citing this page

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