✨ Hi there! This is the Premium Edition of The Scenarionist. Unlock the full experience by becoming a Premium Member!
While most VCs are chasing software scalability, robotics sits at the edge of venture investing—complex, capital-intensive, and tightly coupled with supply chains and physical infrastructure. But as deep tech continues to mature, the robotics sector is quietly entering a breakout moment. For those who understand how to navigate it, the opportunity is enormous.
In this episode, we’re joined by Karthee Madasamy, Founder and Managing Partner at MFV Partners, a Silicon Valley-based early-stage fund focused on Deep Tech startups transforming legacy industries like logistics, manufacturing, and mobility.
Karthee takes us on a deep dive into what truly makes robotics startups fundable and scalable, drawing on years of hands-on experience in the field.
What You’ll Learn in This Edition
This isn’t a theoretical chat. It’s a masterclass for anyone building, funding, or advising robotics and deep tech startups. Karthee shares hard-won insights across:
How top investors evaluate early-stage robotics startups
What matters beyond a flashy demo—and how to spot scalable infrastructure early.Case studies and real-world scenarios
What real-world success looks like when building in complex, physical environments.Why software isn’t the only moat
Learn how defensibility works in hardware-heavy startups and when vertical integration makes sense.The misunderstood metrics that actually matter
From deployment reliability to system-level efficiency—how VCs track traction before revenue.System design as a true differentiator
Why founders must master integration, not just invention, to reach real scale.
If you’re just joining us, The Scenarionist VC Guides are part of an exclusive series on venture strategy for deep tech founders and investors. Here’s what you’ve missed in previous editions:
Our VC Guides are available exclusively to ours Premium Members. By joining Scenarionist Premium, you’ll unlock access to this full series and other exclusive insights, including:
The Silent Gold Rush of AI-Powered Lab Automation
What if R&D moved as fast as software? A behind-the-scenes look at the next big shift in R&D—how it’s built, funded, and scaled.
Why Robotics Is Back in the Spotlight
Today, robotics is once again in the spotlight—this time, with renewed seriousness and potential. For those entering the field as investors, the landscape has evolved significantly, and the time is ripe to explore where real opportunities may lie. There’s a growing need to understand not just the broad strokes but also the specific niches that are quietly maturing, creating fertile ground for high-impact ventures.
Robotics has been around for decades, but it hasn’t always enjoyed the confidence of the investment community. Even just a few years ago, many were still skeptical. There were few large exits, few unicorns, and a general sense that robotics was "promising," but perpetually on the horizon.
That narrative is beginning to change.
