My name is Tyler, I'm a robotics entrepreneur and I just started a Kickstarter that is going to fail (see www.PinkRobotics.ca). I won't blame it, anyone else or even myself for it failing. Could I do a lot better? Obviously. Will it make the difference? Probably not. Nevertheless, I still think the world needs my campaign to succeed; but there is also little I can do to make that happen.
So, I seek the often sound and level headed advice of HK et al.:
My story: I have a BSc in CS, where I focused on AI stuff, and an MSc where I published about applying AI stuff to HPC stuff. I went to a space university program and learned about space stuff. Then, I did seven years of a PhD where I tried to be ambitious but it didn't work out, so I quietly left without succeeding anymore. Then I did a year long solo motorcycle trip around Mexico, starting and ending in Canada. After, I started a robotics company to address climate change with technological solutions. I applied to YC and UBC startup programs to use large drones and other robots to help fight the locally pressing issue of wildfires. Neither organization was interested, for several understandable reasons including: I am alone, no likelihood of a short term high yield return and the societal benefit of my project wasn't considered. So, I "gave up" and applied to a dozen jobs in my area. Only to not receive any replies at all, from anyone, not even rejections. Likely a blessing though, as I have no faith in my ability to pass a technical interview at this point in my "career". So I worked for a friend doing tradeswork to the pay the bills, until covid hit and I went on gov't support. I again focused on my robotics stuff, which has led me to my Kickstarter which will likely fail in just under 6 weeks.
I see three options for myself going forward: keep up the robotics hussle until death or success, study and get a job in my area for money and respect, or get a job where I can be happy.
Advice?
Rather than making one system to do all the forestry jobs, it's probably better to design one robot for one particular task that can save money for forestry companies. Once you have a business selling one kind of robot, expand outwards from there.
And you are right, a likely good place for me to start, is in logging industry (forestry). Though, I was more hoping to build robots to create and maintain forests, not cut them down at scale more efficiently.
Making robots to hasten climate change may not be the right approach to solving it. Yet, the best customers I could get would be logging, mining or oil.
In a similar position as yourself, I'm in deep tech and can share similar frustrations where funding is scarce and commercialization seems far away. Having attempted to fundraise, I can say that we've been blessed to be forced to bootstrap at this stage and are slowly identifying our commercial path. Happy to help you find a market.
The good news is that you are in a hot investment area and I can probably point you in the right direction with the right investors. Firstly, how far along are you? Do you have a prototype and have you spoken to potential customers?
One program that might be suitable for you is Creative Destruction Lab, who specialize in deep tech such as robotics (https://www.creativedestructionlab.com/program/). They don't take any equity and you'd have opportunities to be mentored and invested. I'd be happy to provide an introduction.
The creative destruction lab looks really cool, and I may ask for an introduction, but, I worry that I'm am not really trying to build a business here. I don't see a product or customers in growing forests robotically. It's just a forest. And the robots are to handle the scale, they are doing nothing a low skilled worker couldn't do.
I don't see any real business opportunity outside of selling carbon credits, but there are vastly more profitable ways to use land.
But it's a reliable and feasible solution to climate change nonetheless, and something I could theoretically do with funding. So, hence Kickstarter, a place where businesses don't need to be businesses! :)
Oh, I built a rover named Henry, but I can't quite say that he is a forest planting prototype.
If you want to run it as a viable business, farming as other people mentioned has potential for disruption. But it might be a bit ahead of its time and more risky.
Another area that companies will pay big money for is manufacturing process automation.
I would get a job that to provide yourself a safety net such that you can continue your passions. It doesn't have to be all or nothing!
Don't get me wrong. This is likely what I will need to do to pay for rent and food. I'm just not happy about it. And saddens me when I see large numbers elsewhere
This image always a good reminder: https://studentaffairscollective.org/wp-content/uploads/2015...
I am in a similar position-- a full-time roboticist and an moonlighting entrepreneur on the side. My goal here is to pick up marketing and sales skills that when the right robotics business opportunity presents itself...I'm ready for it.
If there's anything I've learned by watching the string of robotics companies close shop recently, it's that business model is more important than the technology.
Don't give up!
If you'd like to chat more-- you can hit me up at kyle (AT) castalytics dot com.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AD4b-52jtos&t=30m46s
Marketing and sales are the domains I am the worst at, maybe we should chat. Though, while I do foresee a market for carbon, I do not see much in the way for climate solving robots, only return is saving the world ;)