Episode 6 - Abhinav Das on Robotics, Pivoting, and Perseverance

After experiencing homelessness and surviving on bananas, nothing fazes Abhinav Das any more. Abhinav started a company before starting a company was cool. At EVOMO, his first startup, Abhinav, aimed to solve the transportation problem in India. The skills he learnt while building his own truck came in handy when he started Orangewood Labs, where along with his co-founders Aditya and Akash, Abhinav is democratizing access to robotics and automation for businesses of all sizes. Tune in as we discuss how to make the most of limited resources, the not-so-sexy parts of being a founder, and building from India for the world. Timestamps: 00:40 What drew Abhinav to robotics? 01:40 Abhinav's inspiration for EVOMO, his first company 03:10 Initial days of struggle and trying to find grants 05:30 Traveling to rural India to understand the need for affordable vehicles 06:50 Deep tech funding in 2010 and initial days of the company 08:10 Abhinav's Y Combinator experience 09:10 How being in the middle class shaped Abhinav's perspectives 11:50 Importance of quitting on time 13:00 Learning new skills to broaden horizons 14:30 Abhinav about Aditya and Akash, his co-founders 17:15 Inefficiencies in the furniture industry and building CNC machines 19:00 The beginning of Orangewood Labs 20:20 The importance of hustling and not moving mindlessly with trends 23:25 How the Y Combinator experience has changed over the years 29:30 Orangewood's pivot from furniture to robotics 33:40 Recurrent financial instability in a startup 35:30 Thinking big 37:00 Getting investors 41:30 Raising money in the USA 44:40 Future plans for Orangewood Labs 48:20 Advice for students and aspiring entrepreneurs