She Built the Most Empathetic Humanoid Robot From Her Bedroom

For Grace Brown, a humanoid robot future is a hopeful future. Andromeda’s Abi is designed to build connections in an increasingly isolated world, focused on older adults in care facilities. It’s a group that is a prime target for transformative technologies, but is too often overlooked.

In this episode, she talks about designing Abi, the robot bringing real connection back into aged care, the jaw-dropping moments that proved it was working, and the obsession, grit, and magic behind building a billion-dollar startup from nothing.

Key Moments
00:01: The emotional story that revealed Abi’s impact
01:05: Why Grace built Abi in her bedroom during lockdown
02:01: Australia’s robotics ecosystem + R&D incentives
03:25: Engineering school frustrations to building a robot instead
04:49: From engineer to CEO identity shift and leadership
06:22: The power of storytelling vs. technical brilliance
07:19: The six-month “stunt” that turned into a company
08:34: When Grace realized Abi could be a billion-dollar idea
11:52: How interacting with big-name robots validated her vision
14:34: Why embodiment matters more than technical complexity
16:18: Designing Abi’s eyes, voice, and presence
18:33: Engineers watching Abi with residents and crying
20:34: How empathy emerges from a 3D-printed robot
23:01: Generative behavior and surprising real-world moments
26:53: Designing Abi’s personality (with help from drag artists)
29:17: The pushback: “Are you replacing human caregivers?”
31:35: Why older adults embrace Abi faster than expected
33:49: Robot design that welcomes, not intimidates
36:34: Proving investors wrong
39:55: Why Grace moves so fast and lives in “founder mode”
42:48: Why she never saw a path to failure
44:04: Building around the product, not pivoting away from it
46:31: Why Grace feels only “2% into the journey”

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