Manufacturing Insiders

Brian Ellis is the Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Docket, a digital traveler system that helps manufacturers transition from paper-based processes to operator-focused digital workflows. His platform captures real-time production data while making shop floor operations simpler through intuitive interfaces designed specifically for industrial workers. Watch as Brian discusses the challenges o...

Jeremy Garbacik is the Vice President of Global Sales at actnano, a company that develops advanced gel-state conformal coatings for protecting electronic circuit boards. His firm creates value by enabling complete PCB protection without masking or keep-out zones, solving critical reliability challenges in automotive and autonomous driving applications. Watch as Jeremy discusses breaking into estab...

Jeremy Willden is the Prime Director (CEO) of Incredivation, Inc, a company that designs and builds flexible automation systems for modern manufacturers. His firm helps clients improve production efficiency by creating adaptable hardware and software for real-world factory environments. Watch as Jeremy discusses the difference between design for automation and design for manufacturability, the val...

Nick Frank is the Founder & CEO of Knectiv, a global electronics manufacturer specializing in the product development lifecycle. His firm helps early-stage companies navigate the difficult process of bringing a new product from concept to mass production. Watch as Nick discusses why US manufacturing struggles to compete globally, the biggest mistakes founders make in product development, and h...

Josh Whitley is the CEO of AlaTrade Foods, a chicken processing company that converts raw poultry into value-added products for food service and industrial customers. His employee-owned firm processes millions of pounds of chicken weekly through standardized operations and strict quality controls. Watch as Josh discusses employee ownership through ESOPs, implementing cost tracking systems in food...

Kyle Evangelista is the CEO of Machine Tool Bids, a company that buys, sells, and liquidates used metalworking and fabrication machinery. His firm creates value from surplus industrial machinery by connecting sellers with a global network of buyers looking for proven equipment. Watch as Kyle discusses current machinery market trends in North America, the biggest mistakes machine shops make, and ho...

Amit Kapur is the CEO of Zeeba Automotive Group, a nationwide company providing vehicle leasing and rental solutions for businesses with distribution and logistics needs. Zeeba helps clients reduce financial risk by outsourcing vehicle ownership and management. Watch as Amit explains how he uses data and analytics to help optimize fleet size, routes, and overall efficiency. Nate Wheeler is the own...

Keith Krugh is the Chief Manufacturing Officer at Fortera Global, a materials technology company creating a process for zero-carbon cement. This technology captures CO2 released from limestone and reincorporates it into a final product with superior functional benefits. Watch as Keith shares how this process creates a more sustainable and higher-performing material and the strategy for driving ado...

Martin Cox, Lead Designer & President of Hollobus Technologies Inc., is the engineer behind Hollobus, an innovative electrical power distribution system for industrial and commercial applications. His integrated engineering approach modularizes complex designs and utilizes non-traditional materials for improved efficiency. He also offers his perspective on the future of automation, the manufac...

Kevin White is an Operational Intelligence Consultant with Enhanced Information Solutions, a company specializing in digital transformation for manufacturers. He defines digital transformation as using technology to standardize processes and empower the human workforce. Kevin explains how to identify the most critical metrics on the plant floor and capture institutional knowledge from an aging wor...

David Crawley is the CEO of Ubiquity Robotics, a company that builds platform robots for developers and custom robotic solutions. His company accelerates product development by providing a standardized base platform so that robot builders do not have to recreate core mobility and navigation systems. Watch as David shares his insights on the evolution of AI in robotics, his method for auditing manu...

John Frankel is the founding partner of ff Venture Capital, an early-stage investment fund focused on the AI, tech, and automation space. His firm focuses on the rejuvenation of US manufacturing by backing businesses that use technology to solve major problems. He also shares key advice for early-stage founders looking to scale and grow their companies. Watch as John explains how to attract ventur...

Matt Labinski is the Director of Business Development at Macrovey, where he develops systems for customers such as the U.S. Air Force and leading pharmaceutical companies. Francois van Mever is the Principal & Executive Director at MEL-USA, INC., an automation solutions provider. Their companies challenge traditional automation by applying flexible and modular robotics to low-volume, high-mix...

Riley Keen, Sr. is the CEO and inventor of CharaChorder , a manufacturer of intelligent keyboards that allow users to type entire words in a single motion. His invention aims to replace the traditional QWERTY keyboard by allowing users to type entire words in a single motion. Watch as Riley shares the origin of his product, the unique technology behind chording, and his strategies for user adoptio...

Sam Rubin is the CEO of LightPath Technologies, an American manufacturer of infrared optics and imaging systems. He transformed the company by shifting from component supply to full system integration through domestic production and strategic acquisitions. This strategy solved a critical supply chain crisis and attracted a strategic investment from the drone industry. Watch as Sam shares how he ex...

Shane Larson is the CEO of Inseer, an AI company that analyzes workplace movements to prevent injuries. His company uses smartphone video to provide objective, data-driven ergonomic assessments without specialized equipment. Watch as Shane shares his journey from farming to Wall Street, how AI can pinpoint injury risks from repetitive tasks, and the way this technology improves both worker safety...

Joe Cody is the Director of OT Cybersecurity for EIS, a global provider of MES and cybersecurity services. Many manufacturers overlook critical cybersecurity risks in their operational technology. They mistakenly believe a simple firewall provides enough protection from attackers. Watch as Joe explains common vulnerabilities and the steps to build a resilient cybersecurity program. Nate Wheeler is...

Kevin Damoa is the Founder & CEO of Glīd, a company developing hybrid vehicles that bridge rail and road transportation for improved logistics. His company addresses inefficiencies in goods movement by enabling trucks to seamlessly transition onto rail lines, reducing costs and emissions. He shares insights from his background in logistics, aerospace and defense and highlights the importance o...

Kevin Davies is the Founder and CEO of Energy Quotient , a company developing advanced systems to analyze and optimize power quality for manufacturers. His company's technology provides continuous waveform monitoring, a significant departure from traditional meters that only capture brief snapshots of data. Watch as Kevin reveals how manufacturers can diagnose hidden electrical issues that cause e...

Tom Wright is the founder of Peak Amp Instruments, a B2B supplier of HVAC components for data centers. His company is developing a predictive analytics platform to determine when parts will fail and require replacement. Watch as Tom shares how he identified this market opportunity, his strategy for gathering data, and his approach to scaling a B2B e-commerce platform. Nate Wheeler is the owner of...

Geno Lechuga is the Sales Director at HexArmor, an American manufacturer of high-performance safety and PPE products including gloves, helmets, eyewear, and boots. His company takes a relationship-driven approach to sales by focusing on boots-on-the-ground field work with end users rather than relying heavily on digital marketing or trade shows. Watch as Geno shares how they built a successful sal...

Chip Hautala is the CEO and founder of MotionSource International , an industrial supply company specializing in lubrication systems, hydraulics, and PPE. His company takes a service-first approach by providing 20-minute quotes instead of the industry standard week-long delays. Watch as Chip shares how they scaled from one location to seven by hiring for culture fit and building systems that prior...

Dr. Pritam Poddar is the CEO of PrisAM , a 3D printing company developing lightweight lattice structures for aerospace and defense applications. His company uses robotic arms to print directly in 3D space rather than traditional layer-by-layer methods, enabling faster production of large-scale parts up to 12 feet long. He discusses the funding journey from university accelerators to SBIR grants an...

Jason Bodlaender is the Sales Director at Xicato, an American LED chip manufacturer specializing in high-accuracy lighting solutions for museums, hospitals, and smart facilities. His company integrates IoT sensors directly into LED lighting systems to enable asset tracking, energy management, and facility optimization. Watch as Jason shares how they navigate Asian manufacturing partnerships while...

Dr. Jason Jones is the , a developer of retrofit solutions for adding 3D printing capabilities to existing CNC machines. Jason received his PhD from University of Warwick. His technology enables manufacturers to combine additive and subtractive processes on a single machine platform without moving parts between different manufacturing stations. Watch as Jason explains how hybrid manufacturing redu...