Rudy Cohen on Giving Robots Eyes, Brains, and a Second Life in Our Factories
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In this episode, Rudy Cohen, CEO and co-founder of Inbolt, reveals how a new generation of industrial entrepreneurs is reinventing automation by upgrading the robots we already have. Born from a small team fresh out of school, shaped in Berkeley and Shenzhen, and now deployed across automotive and electronics plants worldwide, Inbolt is bringing real perception to machines that were built to operate blind.
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Rudy’s journey started early. A computer engineer with a taste for applied mathematics, he moved from numerical optimization to robotics and computer vision, eventually building the core idea behind Inbolt. If robots fail in real factories, it is not because they lack power. It is because they lack understanding. Giving them the ability to see their environment in real time became the foundation for everything that followed.

Inbolt’s mission goes beyond building new tools. It aims to unlock automation for processes that were considered impossible to automate. Traditional robotic arms require perfect conditions. Parts must always be in the exact same place. Lines must be fully constrained. Any small deviation creates downtime, and downtime kills productivity. Inbolt brings flexibility. A single camera and a lightweight vision model mounted on any industrial robot allow it to adapt to variations in position or movement. With one day of installation and a few minutes of fine tuning, robots begin to operate with the reliability of an experienced operator. This shift raises production capacity by double digits in a matter of hours.

The road was not linear. Rudy describes the difficult decision to abandon Inbolt’s first product for manual operations, despite traction and contracts, in order to focus fully on robotics. That pivot required rebuilding the technology, facing uncertainty, and convincing investors that the bigger market was the right one. The result speaks for itself. The company now installs hundreds of systems across Europe, the US, and Japan, with clients like Stellantis, GM, Toyota, and Ford. From one deployment to the next, the technology propagates across entire factories, creating a true land and expand dynamic.

For Rudy, the deep enabler behind all this is data. Inbolt’s models operate on real time factory inputs, not lab experiments. By equipping existing robots with perception, the company collects the kind of ground truth dataset that will later power more autonomous systems. It is a pragmatic approach to robotics. Not humanoids. Not science fiction. Industrial intelligence built on real constraints and real production cycles.

Rudy also shares his view on the global robotics race. While humanoid robots get headlines, he believes the real battle is for the brain that will orchestrate all machines on the factory floor, regardless of form. The winners will be those who combine software discipline with industrial integration, who understand that reliability matters more than demos, and who capture the right data at the right scale.

Conclusion

Rudy Cohen embodies this new generation of industrial builders who merge deep tech with the reality of the shop floor. Through Inbolt, he shows that the future of automation will not be defined by shiny new robots. It will be defined by smarter ones. The ones already installed in our factories, upgraded to operate faster, safer, and with a level of autonomy that finally matches the needs of modern manufacturing.

Listen to the full episode of Next Gen Industrials, the OSS Ventures podcast hosted by Jean Philippe Lorinquer, on your streaming platforms or YouTube.

Hébergé par Ausha. Visitez ausha.co/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

David Roche on Building the Next Generation of Aircraft

In this episode David Roche, Deputy Chief Digital Officer at AURA AERO, shares how a new wave of industrial pioneers is reimagining aviation from the ground up. From his early days in digital simulation at Dassault and Airbus to leading digital transformation at one of France’s most innovative aerospace companies, Roche embodies the union of engineering precision and entrepreneurial boldness.

Key Takeaways: From Software to Sky: Trained as a computer engineer, Roche’s journey began in 3D modeling and virtual reality at Dassault Systèmes and Airbus. This deep digital background became the foundation for his later work at AURA AERO, where every aircraft is designed and certified entirely in a paperless, fully digital environment.

Reinventing Aviation, Not Just Aircraft: AURA AERO’s mission goes beyond creating electric planes. Its founders set out to build a new kind of aircraft manufacturer — mastering the entire lifecycle from design to operation. The company’s “Integral” aircraft marked the first step, followed by the first flight of an all-electric version and the ongoing development of a 19-seat regional hybrid aircraft.

Resilience in the Face of Setbacks: After a tragic prototype accident, AURA AERO’s community of engineers, investors, and pilots rallied together to continue the mission. This shared determination to learn, rebuild, and move forward reflects the pioneering spirit that drives the aerospace industry.

Data as the New Airframe: For Roche, the true enabler of industrial transformation is data. From digital continuity across engineering and production to secure, structured data pipelines, AURA AERO treats every dataset as a strategic asset. Their systems now allow real-time data collection from aircraft, paving the way for predictive analytics and AI-assisted operations.

AI Grounded in Reality: Roche emphasizes that artificial intelligence only adds value when built on solid data foundations. The company is developing an internal platform to prototype AI applications—optimizing flight paths, energy use, and pilot support systems, all grounded in operational data rather than theoretical R&D.

Building a Digital-First Manufacturer: AURA AERO’s “Digital Integration” team ensures technology serves people, not the other way around. By selecting the best SaaS tools, integrating them seamlessly, and developing custom solutions when needed, the company maintains agility while scaling globally.

Conclusion:

David Roche’s story exemplifies a new generation of industrial entrepreneurs merging software thinking with physical manufacturing. Through AURA AERO, he demonstrates that decarbonizing aviation is not just about cleaner engines—it’s about rebuilding the entire industrial model for a more connected, data-driven future.

Listen to the full episode of Next Gen Industrials, the OSS Ventures podcast hosted by Jean-Philippe Lorinquer, on Spotify or YouTube.

Hébergé par Ausha. Visitez ausha.co/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

Bertin Nahum on Scaling Surgical Robotics for Cancer Care

In this episode of Next Gen Industrials, Bertin Nahum, President and co-founder of Quantum Surgical, shares his journey from early medical robotics to building Epione, a surgical robot designed to transform cancer treatment. With a background that spans pioneering medtech start-ups and multiple successful exits, Nahum represents the new wave of industrial entrepreneurs tackling global health challenges.

Key Takeaways:

From Engineering to Medtech Leadership: Trained as an engineer at INSA Lyon, Nahum’s career took a decisive turn when he discovered the potential of technology in healthcare. His early exposure to hospital environments convinced him to dedicate his life to medical innovation.

Serial Entrepreneurial Success: After founding and selling Medtech, creator of the Rosa surgical robot, Nahum launched Quantum Surgical in Montpellier. His ventures highlight the ability of European medtech start-ups to compete globally, even against U.S. giants.

Innovation as Usage, Not Just Technology: For Nahum, the true breakthrough in robotics lies not in hardware or AI alone, but in how these technologies are integrated into medical practice to democratize complex procedures and expand patient access.

Financing and Public Markets: Having led both venture-backed growth and an IPO, Nahum shares lessons on navigating financing challenges in hardware start-ups, underscoring the importance of inventive funding strategies and careful shareholder alignment.

Building an Ecosystem: Beyond company building, Nahum helped establish Montpellier as a hub for surgical robotics, creating hundreds of jobs and fostering a Med Valley in France. His commitment shows how entrepreneurial ventures can reshape regional industrial landscapes.

Conclusion:

Bertin Nahum’s story illustrates how perseverance, vision, and purposeful leadership can drive disruptive medical innovations from local labs to global markets. Quantum Surgical’s mission—to make cutting-edge cancer treatment accessible worldwide—underscores the societal impact of industrial entrepreneurship.

Ready to explore how industrial innovation can scale globally? Join the conversation with OSS Ventures and discover the future of Industry 4.0.

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