Aug 3, 2022
Ozmo the AI Window Cleaning Robot by Skyline Robotics w/ Michael Brown
- BRT S03 EP35 (134) 7-31-2022
What We Learned This Week
- Skyline Robotics is a venture-backed AI, robotics, & industrial automation at-heights company.
- Ozmo is the premier industrial tool in automated window cleaning. By combining the expertise of engineers with inventive artificial intelligence technology, to design a robot that serves as an essential tool for building facade maintenance
- Skyscraper window cleaning, Dangerous job working in harsh winter or windy conditions on buildings in major cities like NYC that are 50 to 100 stories high
- Robot OZMO – 250 pounds, 3 foot arm extension – can have 1 to 4 robotic arms using AI sensors, sight and touch like autonomous cars. Map side of building and can clean at night
- Long History of Israel Tech and VC, Tel Aviv residents have to go in Army engineering background and training creates talent and investment opps
Guest: Michael Brown CEO of Skyline Robotics
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-brownr1/
https://www.skylinerobotics.com/
Michael Brown, CEO & Chairman of the Board
Michael Brown joined Skyline as its Chairman of the Board in December 2020. In this role, Michael will serve as both a veteran strategic advisor and oversee the expansion of Skyline into the US market. Michael’s 35-year career has been focused on business services and distributions. Michael has led two previous companies with revenue over $100Million, both of which were sold to publicly traded companies.
During Michael’s career the companies he led have generated in excess of $5 Billion, while leveraging a proven model, driving growth and market expansion through business acquisition, cross-selling, and organic growth steeped in data analysis and strategy. Michael’s focus on growth stems from ensuring companies have the proper management teams and structures that enable and empower a company to deliver stellar performance while delivering value for customers. Michael’s experience will provide Skyline with significant experience and guidance
Skyline Robotics was established with the idea of building a better tomorrow - today. Skyline brings together a group of innovative developers with a shared clear vision of a future in which robots assist humans in work and everyday activities. Our mutual knowledge is based on robotics, software engineering and mechatronics. We are taking an archaic industry such as window cleaning - which has remained the same since its inception more than a century ago - and giving it the breakthrough modernization it needs.
Skyline is a venture-backed AI, robotics, and industrial automation at-heights company. Skyline's first product, OZMO, focuses on industrial, high-rise window cleaning. Leveraging deep tech, OZMO is capable of making our partners more efficient while saving lives and taking humans out of high-risk situations. Skyline's HQ is located in Tel Aviv, with an office in NYC. Skyline has partnerships in both Israel and the USA and is backed by world-class investors from institutional to strategic profiles.
Ozmo is the premier industrial tool in automated window cleaning. By combining the expertise of our engineers with inventive artificial intelligence technology, we were able to design a robot that serves as an essential tool for building facade maintenance, ensuring that the whole process is more practical than traditional methods - and about three times faster. As an additional boost, Ozmo uses tried-and-tested machine learning capabilities that enable him to adapt to new settings while working. Ozmo can go to new heights, without humans having to take any risks.
Notes:
Skyscraper window cleaning, Dangerous job working in harsh winter or windy conditions on buildings in major cities like NYC that are 50 to 100 stories high
Window Cleaner – suspended 1000 feet in air, potential for deadly accidents
Climate Issues: winter cold, windy, rain, hot with sun (in London, NYC, or Chicago)
Skyscraper building has increased, but workers do not want job – 1-2 cleanings per year for a building
Cleaning Time of traditional method – 60-90 days, Cut time in half with Skyline
Currently doing Demos in NYC
Robot OZMO – 250 pounds, 3 foot arm extension – can have 1 to 4 robotic arms
Insurance Policy – safer, more efficient method to clean windows vs risk issues of current method
Robot – operates near other humans safely, no humans in danger
Remote Operator with laptop running OZMO from top of building.
Tech – AI sensors, sight and touch like autonomous cars. Map side of building and can clean at night
Tech Used – AI, Robotics, GPS, Sensors, Software, Autonomous
Additional Benefits of Ozmo - Monitor the Health of the building, façade of the building. Check for broken windows, structural damage, HVAC leaks.
Buildings have a cost $500 million to $6 billion, lots of maintenance
Timelines to launch – Launched in NY 2022. Prior Demo in 2021 in Hudson Yards
OZMO cost –
Commercial Building Service - $170 billion industry w/ 900 buildings in NYC alone
Platinum - building service & restoration in NY, Skyline partner
Michael Brown’s background – distribution and service business. Father in office supplies, Allied Office Supplies - $400 million. Sold to Office Depot & then Staples. Allied used good service, tech, efficient ops.
Michael searched for robot cleaning buildings, connected with Skyline –
Ross Blum – CEO/Pres. – startups, quid, web MD
Avi Abadi – CTI and Co-founder
Expansion ops for Skyline - Construction, Maritime, - repetitive / dirty job – i.e. painting, cleaning
Building off the shelf products – 95%
Regulations and legal hurdles – harness cradle to building OZMO robot clamped in.
Insurance Savings - possible investment from insurance company
Gen 1 early adoption
VC Funding – Skyline started 2017 – 3 raises for $2 million
2020 - Michael joined, Safe Note - filled up with $2.2 million
2021 – raised $6.5 million pre-series A round
Talking with top VC – Softbank
Next – Series A - Need $20 million over the next 3 years
63K existing building cradles / world new development – create un-manned solution to clean at start
Alimac –
New Hudson Facades (related owns)
Long History of Israel Tech and VC, Tel Aviv residents have to go in Army engineering background and training creates talent and investment opps
Startup Nation – book about Tech Industry in Israel written by Dan Senor & Saul Singer
Start-Up Nation addresses the trillion dollar question: How is it that Israel -- a country of 7.1 million, only 60 years old, surrounded by enemies, in a constant state of war since its founding, with no natural resources-- produces more start-up companies than large, peaceful, and stable nations like Japan, China, India, Korea, Canada and the UK?
Cyber security – robotics
Boston Robotics – working on great advances in robotic tech, built a Robotic dog for dangerous tasks, Society moving away from dangerous jobs
Tech Topic:
https://brt-show.libsyn.com/category/Tech-Startup-VC-Cybersecurity-Energy-Science
Best of Tech:
https://brt-show.libsyn.com/size/5/?search=best+of+tech
Investing Topic:
https://brt-show.libsyn.com/category/Investing-Stocks-Bonds-Retirement
‘Best Of’ Topic: https://brt-show.libsyn.com/category/Best+of+BRT
Legal Topic: https://brt-show.libsyn.com/category/Legal-Asset+Protection-Estate+Planning
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