RISE Inside

Get ready for the State of the Union address from RISE Robotics CEO, Hiten Sonpal !  In this Year in Review episode, Hiten breaks down the biggest year in the company's history. We dive into the game-changing first commercial sale that officially shifts RISE from R&D to a commercial powerhouse, the major $3 million Air Force contract, and the incredible community support behind the largest...

Join host Justin Starbird on this episode of the RISE™Inside Podcast as he sits down with Hiten Sonpal, the newly appointed CEO of RISE® Robotics. Dive into Hiten’s fascinating journey from a computer engineer to a seasoned leader in robotics and automation, with pivotal roles at Electric Sheep Robotics, Mowbot, and iRobot. Hiten shares his vision for RISE, emphasizing innovation, team empowerment...

Join us on the latest episode of the Rise™Inside Podcast, where co-founders Arron Acosta and Kyle Dell’Aquilla unveil a groundbreaking advancement in industrial motion technology – Beltdraulic™. This innovative system, developed by the team at RISE™Robotics, promises to redefine mechanical movement across a range of industries. Episode Highlights: The Genesis of Beltdraulic™: Discover the inspirat...

Jamison Go, Senior Mechanical Engineer at RISE™Robotics, brings a wealth of experience and passion to his role. With a background in additive manufacturing and a lifelong fascination with robotics, Jamison's journey spans from exploring cutting-edge technologies at MIT to over 19 years in fighting robots. At RISE™, Jamison aligns with the company's vision for pioneering electric technology in heav...

Eric Kong's path to RISE™ was an unexpected one. Initially planning a career in law, his passion for engineering was sparked in the sixth grade, setting his course toward a fulfilling career in engineering. As Senior Electrical Engineer, Eric leads multiple projects with expertise ranging from schematic capture to debugging. His hands-on approach ensures that projects surpass expectations and deli...

At RISE™Robotics, we take pride in our exceptional team members who bring diverse expertise and a passion for innovation to the table. In this month's Employee Spotlight, we introduce Ben Dwyer, Director of Embedded Systems. Ben's professional journey began in the landscape of MedTech, where he played a pivotal role in developing life-saving devices for hospitals. His background includes working o...

In this episode, we shine the light on Matthew Hansen, Senior Mechanical Engineering Manager at RISE™. With a Master's in Mechanical Engineering Design and a rich background at industry giants like Whirlpool and Keurig, Matthew brings a unique blend of technical expertise and a focus on end-user experiences to RISE™, where he plays a pivotal role in steering the ship of innovation. Join us as we e...

According to senior mechanical engineer Emily Heidlauf, RISE™Robotics is all about the people. "It's a company full of ambitious and brilliant people working towards a single goal, basically disrupting an industry with our core technology to make machines more efficient." After graduating from the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, spending 4 years with Caterpillar, and some significant life cha...

Rosa Henderson, Executive Assistant to the Chief Product Officer, gained more than just a job when she joined the team at RISE™. "For those who may not have heard my previous interviews, I am certified legally blind. I had a challenging journey getting into the workforce and gaining opportunities to explore and develop my skills. This is one of the most in-depth roles I've had as an employee. The...

MIT-educated engineer, co-founder of RISE™Robotics, and current VP of Engineering Toomas Sepp joins host Justin Starbird. Toomas has been a part of the company's evolution from its initial exoskeleton concept to the recent launch of its first commercial product in partnership with Anthony Liftgates, the ReGEN RAILTRAC with RISE™Inside. "It's been an exciting journey over the years, constantly tryi...

Well into retirement after an impressive 30-year career at Caterpillar, a call from RISE™ CEO Arron Acosta brought Chief Product Officer Ken Gray back into the game. But he didn't come alone. "I've brought in a couple of seasoned industry veterans that I think of as my peers—quite frankly, my superiors. "My late, great father said that one of the secrets to longevity is meaningful work. At this po...

Nolan Hobart, Mechanical Engineer at RISE™Robotics, joins host Justin Starbird on the latest episode of Inside RISE™. For Nolan, RISE™ has provided him with an opportunity to build a solid technical base as well as an opportunity to work in the green space. "Boarding the rocket ship, 30 seconds before blast off," as he describes it, Nolan joined the founders in testing and designing their alpha cy...

After a distinguished 35-year career at Caterpillar, an opportunity to help RISE™Robotics reach the next level brought VP Business and Product Development, On Highway / Waterway, Walt Bradbury out of retirement. Walt's first responsibility at RISE™ has him working with the pioneering Liftgate program. He shares, "We're blazing a lot of trails with this program. It's the first time RISE™ has done m...

Erika Murray - Mechanical Engineer and Engineering Project Manager at RISE™Robotics, joins host Justin Starbird on the latest episode in our series highlighting the great people that make RISE™ unique. With a combined Mechanical Engineering and Experience Design major from Northeastern University, Erika joined the RISE™ team with a vision centered on people and their experiences to drive design, p...

With years of experience in a wide range of senior leadership roles in high technology fields, including robotics, space propulsion, semiconductor testing, and telecommunications, Tom Phleps, now RISE™ COO, was looking for a new opportunity that would bring him back to his roots in robotics and heavy hardware. He was searching for a revolutionary technology with the potential to change an industry...

Disrupting an industry might seem daunting, but Hector Cazares, Systems Engineer, and the rest of the RISE™ team are here to prove it can be done. Straight out of the Wentworth Institute of Technology, Hector joined RISE™ at the ground level. In his first two years at RISE™, Hector was part of the team designing harness systems and circuit boards. Today, he works as an integral part of the testing...

Introducing RISE™ Finance, Operations, and Administration Manager, Zoe Robert, a valued employee wearing many hats. You may come across Zoe taking care of cash management, company spending, or financial planning, or maybe during hiring, interviewing, and managing employee benefits. She also ensures that the facilities are in order, plans travel for trade shows and executives, and serves as the CEO...

The Engine, a venture capital firm founded in 2016 by MIT, aims to support and accelerate the development of companies and innovations that improve the world through science and technology. Reed Sturtevant, General Partner at The Engine, joins host Justin Starbird on the RISE™Inside podcast to discuss the company's mission and how they are supporting the small business ecosystem for the most promi...

Host, Justin Starbird is joined by special guests Roland Mattern, Director of Marketing for eSight Eyewear, and Gary Foster, advocate, former employee, and user of eSight Eyewear, to talk about eSight technology and the impact that interventions can have on improving people's vision and lives. At its core, eSight is the most versatile and advanced all-in-one device for people with visual impairmen...

In the most recent episode of RISE™Inside, Molly Pasley, Assistant Professor of Special Education at Northern Illinois University in the Visual Disabilities Program, sat down with host Justin Starbird to discuss ways in which all employers can shift their mindset, recognize disability bias and discrimination, and create inclusive environments specifically surrounding visual impairments. Through he...

Kyle Dell'Aquila, Creative Director for RISE™, joins host Justin Starbird for our very first Inside|>RISE™ employee spotlight. Kyle's creative vision, artistic abilities, and infectious sense of wonder and fun inspire the RISE™ Team every day. We're thrilled to have him as a visionary leader of RISE™. To hear about the origin of his inspirations and what his vision is, listen and learn more about...

We continue to celebrate disability pride month by sharing stories of inclusion and support in the hope of inspiring other companies to see beyond disabilities and differences to find true talent and quality team members. The celebration has received support from all around the world. It is beautifully exemplified by the mindsets and achievements of RISE™Robotics' very own Ken Gray, Chief Product...

Executive Assistant to the Chief Product Officer, Ken Gray, Rosa Henderson joins Justin Starbird to share her journey of how RISE™ saw beyond her disability to the qualities and skills that add so much to the team. Born visually impaired, when Rosa attempted to enter the workforce, as most teenagers do, it was very challenging when it came to disclosing a difficulty or a disability. Rosa found tha...

RISE™ CTO, Blake Sessions talks with Justin Starbird in a technical conversation about setting the competitive technology landscape for RISE™. There are a number of companies aiming to create technology which can replace hydraulic systems within heavy machinery. There are set number of existing technologies capable, Blake and Justin explore those options, their limitations and how RISE™Technology...

The RISE™ engineering team talks with Justin Starbird about the latest developments in the making at the RISE™ lab. Emily Heidlauf and Toshan James, RISE™ Mechanical Engineers, and Blake Sessions, Co-Founder and CTO share details of the RISE™ 10x movement to a larger, higher capacity RISE™Cylinder. This 50,000-pound cylinder class falls in the middle of what RISE™ will be capable of building with...