In Episode 242 of The Robot Report Podcast, Neal Hansch—managing partner and CEO of Silicon Foundry—joins the show to discuss how startups can effectively engage with large enterprises, the rapidly evolving world of physical AI and robotics, and how broader economic trends are shaping innovation strategies.
Neal Hansch, CEO, Silicon Foundry.
With over 25 years of experience in venture capital, corporate development, and tech operations, Hansch advises Fortune 2,000 companies on driving innovation. His background includes leadership roles in investment, emerging markets, and M&A at firms such as Rustic Canyon Partners, MEST, and Macromedia.
A graduate of Duke University and UCLA Anderson School of Management, Neal lives in San Francisco with his family.
Whether you’re an entrepreneur, corporate innovation leader, or investor, Hansch provides practical insights into building productive partnerships between cutting-edge startups and established enterprises.
To learn more about co-host Mike Oitzman’s involvement in the 2026 CATS production of Rashomon, check out the review here.
Show timeline
- 8:02 – News of the week
- 21:00 – Neal Hansch, CEO, Silicon Foundry
News of the week
Engelberger Robotics Awards announced
The Association for Advancing Automation (A3) has named Hiroshi Fujiwara, executive director of the Japan Robot Association (JARA), and Robert Little, co-founder of ATI Industrial Automation, as recipients of the prestigious 2026 Joseph F. Engelberger Robotics Awards.
Fujiwara has led JARA since 2009, steering strategic initiatives and policy advocacy for Japan’s robotics sector. In this capacity, he has played a key role in fostering collaboration among industry leaders, government bodies, and global partners to advance both industrial and service robotics.
Little brings more than four decades of experience in robotics, automation, and manufacturing. He co-founded ATI Industrial Automation in 1989 and helped scale the company from around $1 million to over $100 million in annual revenue.
Under his guidance, ATI became a world leader in robotic tool changers, force/torque sensors, and other end-effector technologies—expanding how robots are used in real-world manufacturing. The Robot Report recently interviewed Little and will publish that conversation shortly.
Flex and Teradyne expand partnership to scale physical AI
Flex announced plans to deploy robots from Teradyne Robotics across its global manufacturing sites to boost operational efficiency. The Austin, Texas-based company already produces critical components for force- and power-limited robots made by Universal Robots (UR), a Teradyne subsidiary.
By integrating UR cobots and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) from Mobile Industrial Robots (MiR)—another Teradyne business—into its own factories, Flex aims to tackle the “scale challenge” that has long slowed the widespread adoption of physical AI.
Separately, Teradyne released its first-quarter 2026 financial results. The North Reading, Mass.-based testing and automation firm reported $91 million in Q1 revenue—an increase compared to both Q1 2025 and Q4 2025, marking its fourth straight quarter of growth.
This follows two rounds of layoffs at Teradyne in the prior year, prompted by revenue declines in 2023 and 2024.
Figure scales up production at BotQ
Figure AI has entered a high-volume production phase at its BotQ facility in the San Francisco Bay Area, hitting several key milestones:
- Production speed: The humanoid robot maker says it has boosted output by 24 times in under 120 days—going from one robot per day to one every hour.
- Total output: It has shipped more than 350 third-generation robots (Figure 03) and manufactured over 9,000 actuators and 500 battery packs.
- Quality assurance: Figure has set up 150 connected workstations and more than 50 in-line inspection checkpoints.
- Yield rates: The company achieved a first-pass yield exceeding 80% at final assembly and 99.3% on the battery production line.
- Stress testing: Every unit undergoes over 80 functional tests, including “burn-in” cycles involving thousands of repetitions of squats, presses, and jogging motions to catch early failures.
Sponsors
We’re grateful to our sponsors for making this content possible.
This episode is sponsored by Yamaha Robotics Group (YRG)—pioneering the next generation of smart automation.
Yamaha’s Linear Conveyor Modules and Advanced Operator Interfaces are helping engineers achieve unprecedented levels of efficiency and adaptability.
And let’s be honest: The PLC isn’t disappearing—it’s evolving.
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If you’re developing robots for environments beyond traditional factory cells—like mobile manipulators, quadrupeds, or humanoids—maxon is a must-visit at this month’s Robotics Summit & Expo in Boston.
At the event, maxon will showcase its High Efficiency Joint (HEJ) lineup: fully integrated robotic joints that combine motor, gearbox, electronics, and sensing in a single compact unit. Engineered for cyclic loads, impacts, and continuous operation, HEJ joints are built for real-world robotic applications.
Check out maxon’s HEJ90 demonstrator at Booth 419 on the expo floor.
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Register now for the 2026 Robotics Summit & Expo
Registration is now open for the Robotics Summit & Expo—the premier technical conference for commercial robotics developers worldwide. The event is organized by The Robot Report and WTWH Media.
>> TUNE IN TO THE PODCAST EPISODE FOR A DISCOUNT CODE TO REGISTER! <<
The program includes more than 50 sessions across tracks covering physical AI, design and development, enabling technologies, healthcare, and logistics. The Engineering Theater on the show floor will also host talks by leading industry experts.
Over 70 speakers have been confirmed from organizations including AWS, Brain Corp, Fictiv, Harmonic Drive, maxon, PickNik Robotics, RealSense, the Robotics and AI Institute, Robust AI, Tesla, Toyota Research Institute, and others.
The summit will also offer multiple networking opportunities, such as a Mix & Mingle Networking Reception after Day One, plus the ticketed Women in Robotics Breakfast and RBR50 Awards Dinner.
The Robotics Summit & Expo is co-located with DeviceTalks Boston, a conference focused on medical devices.
