When robots and humans work together, good things happen.
That’s at least according to Jodone, a Boston-based startup that combines human intellect with robotic technology to create solutions for clients in a variety of industries.
“We utilize a patent-pending gaming technology to allow humans to play a game to solve problems that robots then resolve in real-time,” explained CEO Cole Parker.
The four-person company, which is initially working on technology to improve trash processing, has spent the past few months in Seattle as part of the 9Mile Labs accelerator.
“When we joined the program, we were very focused on the ‘paper’ version of the company,” Parker said. “The tech worked great; the patent looked good; the financials all made sense. However, we weren’t out talking to customers and getting our hands dirty in the real world. 9Mile helped us shift that focus, pay attention to what mattered to customers, and helped us build a real world product market fit rather than a paper one.”
Parker, a veteran of the Boston startup scene, teamed up with Michael Rivera to launch Jodone. We caught up with Parker to learn more about his company for this Startup Spotlight, a regular GeekWire feature.
Explain what you do so our parents can understand it: “We utilize a patent-pending gaming technology to allow humans to play a game to solve problems that robots then resolve in real-time. Combining the human intellect with a robot’s precision and speed allows us to provide revolutionary solutions to real-world problems and open up new markets.”
Inspiration hit us when: “Years ago, playing Warcraft, I realized a human player could beat the best AI. AI’s can’t respond to changing environments. I knew if there were a way for a human to control an army of robots, the hybrid solution would outperform both. Fast-forward to two years ago, a classmate mentions that there is more money in trash then in goldmine dirt, but the problem was that there was no easy way to sort out the money. Human picking is too slow; trash is too complex for AI. The solution: build an app that’s a game to humans and an AI for robots.”
VC, Angel or Bootstrap: “All of the above — it’s not a cop-out, it’s simply just a reality. We’ve bootstrapped, we’ve raised some angel money and will likely raise more, and when we decide to bridge the gap from successful trash technology company to robotic software giant, we’ll need the help of a few good VCs. It’s about the right way to raise capital at the right time.”
Our ‘secret sauce’ is: “Robotic control system using virtual reality input.”
The smartest move we’ve made so far: “Listening to our 9Mile Labs mentors. When we joined the program, we were very focused on the ‘paper’ version of the company. The tech worked great; the patent looked good; the financials all made sense. However, we weren’t out talking to customers and getting our hands dirty in the real world. 9Mile helped us shift that focus, pay attention to what mattered to customers, and helped us build a real world product market fit rather than a paper one.”
The biggest mistake we’ve made so far: “Going too slow. You need to find ways to do more with less — less people, less time, and less money so you can go much, much faster.”
Would you rather have Gates, Zuckerberg or Bezos in your corner: “We’d prefer to have Elon Musk in our corner. First, because we’re non-conformist. Second, because like Elon, we believe in something that other people have said is crazy, like private space flight, or will never work, like electric car fill-up stations. It’s just so happens that our cause is gaming robots. We also respect his no non-sense style, and agree with his feelings on acronyms. We want Elon in our corner because if he believes in what you’re doing rather than worry about making others believe in you; he’ll just roll up his sleeves and help you make it successful and let the results speak for themselves.”
Our favorite team-building activity is: “Diablo 3. Seriously that game is so much better played as a two player co-op than single player. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”
The biggest thing we look for when hiring is: “We value three key characteristics: ambition, flexibility, and responsibility. Being an early stage start-up, employees need to be willing to stretch their abilities far beyond whatever they’ve originally been in charge of. For example, our current CFO, Michael Rivera, has been also responsible for our marketing efforts as well as overseeing the tasks normally in the charge of a human resources department. This willingness to be a ‘jack of all trades’ helps us not only keep costs down in terms of employee count, but also shows the effort put forth by employees to be great.”
What’s the one piece of advice you’d give to other entrepreneurs just starting out: “Only co-found a startup if it’s an idea you can’t live with not existing. If you’re looking to just make money, go work in finance. If you just love the atmosphere, go work for some else’s startup. If a world without your idea keeps you up at night, more than financial insecurity, or stress, or long working hours, then find a teammate and get going. Be prepared for the most rewarding and hardest time of your life. The highs are much higher, but the lows, like having to let go of a great friend who just isn’t working out, are also much lower. Believe in yourself, in your teammates, and keep reminding yourself why you’re doing it. For us, it’s because robots and humans can do so much more together than either can do apart and I can’t tolerate one more day of them not working together.”
Editor’s note: GeekWire is spotlighting each startup participating in the 9MileLabs cohort in the lead up to its Demo Day pitch event on March 3.
