You’re at an airport, cutting it wayyy too close for your flight. Instead of waiting in line to grab food, what if you could have a robot deliver to you right as you get to your gate? This is a real scenario, thanks to this week’s Wild Business Growth Podcast guest, Ritukar Vijay. Ritukar is the Founder & CEO of Ottonomy. Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and your other favorite podcast platforms.
Episode 181: Ritukar Vijay – Robot Delivery Man, Founder of Ottonomy
Ritukar Vijay, the Founder and CEO of Ottonomy, joins the show to share his journey from competing in robot competitions in college to creating autonomous delivery robots. Hear how to refine new technology, speed up customer adoption, win clients early on, how people react to the Ottobots, and his dream autonomous delivery location. This episode covers everything from The Terminator to 3D LiDAR. Here’s a small sample of what you will hear in this episode:
- When did Ritukar discover this world of robots
- What are robot conferences like
- How do the Ottobots navigate without GPS
- What was involved in refining the Ottonomy technology
- How do people react to seeing an Ottobot roll by them
- What form of delivery is Ritukar most excited about
- If he was a robot, what would his special function be
- What does his son think about what he does
Connect with Ritukar at Ottonomy.IO and on social media.
Enjoy the shoooooow! Check out the show notes below for much more detail.
Show Notes
- Intro & Robotics
- [0:30] Email me at to save time with your high-quality podcast and use it as a business-building tool
- [0:41] Connect with Ritukar at Ottonomy.IO and on social media
- [2:34] When did Ritukar discover this world of robots
- [3:00] College
- [3:13] What was that first spark that made him passionate about robotics
- [3:33] RoboCon
- [3:52] What are robot conferences like
- [4:05] Star Wars
- [4:40] Technology (Tech)
- [5:02] What most excites Ritukar about the future of robotics
- [6:28] Amazon Warehouses, eCommerce (eComm)
- The Ottonomy Story
- [7:02] Ottonomy, Ottobots
- [7:13] Ottonomy in Cincinnati Airport (CVG)
- [7:24] Happy Belated Birthday, Dad!
- [9:37] What made Ritukar focus on this segment of robotics
- [9:50] Aptiv, BMW
- [11:57] Online Ordering
- [12:30] Seamless
- [12:56] What was involved in refining the Ottonomy technology
- [13:15] Autonomous Cars
- [13:51] MVP (Minimum Viable Product)
- [14:04] GPS (Global Positioning System)
- [14:32] How do the Ottobots navigate without GPS
- [14:43] Digital Twin
- [15:52] What form of delivery is Ritukar most excited about
- [16:08] Regulatory
- [16:43] Last Mile
- [17:23] Curbside
- [18:12] How do people react to seeing an Ottobot roll by them
- [18:39] Retail
- [18:48] Adoption Curve of Customers
- [20:20] Human-Robot Interaction (HRI)
- [20:34] Make it happen!
- [20:56] Marketing
- [21:07] What’s helped Ritukar gain clients early on
- [22:35] Repeat Customers
- [22:56] Save time with your high-quality podcast. Email me at to bring your podcast to life and use it as a business-building tool
- Inspiration & Creativity: People, Hobbies, and Resources
- [23:57] What can you do to stay creative
- [24:15] The Ottonomy Team
- [24:52] What does Ritukar’s son think about what he does
- [25:13] Mobile Phone
- [25:33] What’s a book or movie involving robotics that’s influenced Ritukar
- [25:50] Zero to One by Peter Thiel
- Robot-Fire Q&A
- [26:15] Nice one, Max
- [26:49] Times Square
- [26:58] What’s a weird talent Ritukar has
- [27:45] If he was a robot, what would his special function be
- [28:04] The Invisible Robot
- [28:13] Teleportation
- [28:34] What is the funniest reaction someone’s had when they found out what Ritukar does
- [28:44] Transformers, The Terminator
- [29:11] John Connor
- [29:32] Connect with Ritukar at Ottonomy.IO and on social media
- [30:27] Follow the Wild Business Growth Podcast and tell a friend about the podcast. And 5 stars on Apple Podcasts & Spotify if you dare
- [30:43] Check out the Wild Business Growth Podcast on GoodPods, where you can see what your favorite people are listening to
- [30:48] Connect with me on Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn @MaxBranstetter
- [30:52] Save time with your high-quality podcast. Email me at to bring your podcast to life and use it as a business-building tool
- Theme music: Freestyle Percussion Magik – “Jungle Tribe” – provided by Jamendo
What is the Wild Business Growth Podcast?
Wild ideas. Wild growth. Every Wednesday morning a new entrepreneur joins the Wild Business Growth Podcast to share the wildly creative and unusual ways they grew their business – and teaches you how to do it, too. Hear the minds behind WordPress, Stacy’s Pita Chips, Drybar, the voice of Bart Simpson, and more wild stories. Hosted by Max Branstetter (that’s me), Founder and Podcast Producer at MaxPodcasting.
How do you start a podcast?
Interested in starting a professional-sounding podcast for your brand, but don’t want to deal with the time commitment of all those behind-the-scenes details? I’ve got you covered. Email me at to save time with your high-quality podcast and use it as a business-building tool.
Thanks for listening to Ritukar Vijay on the Wild Business Growth Podcast. To hear more Wild stories like this one every Wednesday morning, follow the Wild Business Growth Podcast and tell a friend about it. Then act like a robot all day. Until next time, Let your business Run Wild…and Bring on the Bongos!!
