<p>What if airports had self-driving mobility pods that could safely navigate through crowds, just like something out of The Jetsons? Or the Pixar movie Wall-E?</p><p><br></p><p>In this episode, John Koetsier sits down with Matthew Anderson, CEO of A&amp;K Robotics, to explore the future of autonomous mobility. A&amp;K Robotics is building AI-powered self-driving pods designed to help people navigate airports independently without relying on wheelchairs or staff assistance.</p><p><br></p><p>But the real breakthrough isn’t just autonomy. It’s crowd navigation. Matthew explains why navigating dense, unpredictable crowds is one of the hardest problems in robotics, and how A&amp;K’s “crowd-centric AI” could become foundational technology for airports, stadiums, smart cities, conferences, and even humanoid robots in the future.</p><p><br></p><p>They also discuss:</p><p><br></p><p>* Why airports are the perfect proving ground for robotics</p><p>* The AI and sensor stack powering autonomous mobility</p><p>* Directional sound systems inspired by The Sphere in Las Vegas</p><p>* Scaling robotics startups from prototype to deployment</p><p>* Raising an $8M Series A round</p><p>* The personal story that inspired Matthew to build the company</p><p>* Why the future of robotics depends on moving safely through human environments</p><p><br></p><p>Guest:</p><p>Matthew Anderson — CEO, A&amp;K Robotics</p><p>Company: A&amp;K Robotics</p><p><br></p><p>If you enjoy conversations about AI, robotics, startups, and the future of technology, subscribe for more interviews with founders and innovators shaping what’s next.</p><p><br></p><p>Subscribe here:</p><p>https://techfirst.substack.com</p><p><br></p><p>00:00 – Intro</p><p>00:30 – Meet A&amp;K Robotics and the Vision for Autonomous Airport Mobility</p><p>01:20 – Why Crowd Navigation AI Is the Hardest Problem in Robotics</p><p>02:40 – Navigating Dense Airport Crowds and Passenger Flow</p><p>04:05 – Directional Sound and Designing a Better Airport Experience</p><p>05:50 – Building an “iPhone Experience” for Mobility Robots</p><p>06:30 – Sensors, LIDAR, and Operating Without GPS</p><p>07:20 – Fleet Management and Autonomous Operations in Airports</p><p>08:00 – Mapping Airports and Optimizing Routes Through Crowds</p><p>09:00 – Scaling the Business and Solving Systems Integration</p><p>10:00 – Charging, Docking Stations, and the Future Airport Network</p><p>10:45 – Raising an $8 Million Series A Round</p><p>11:20 – Customers: Vancouver International Airport and Aena</p><p>12:10 – Building a Polished Robotics Platform on Seed Funding</p><p>12:50 – Matthew Anderson’s Background in Robotics and Drones</p><p>14:00 – The Bigger Vision: Crowd Navigation for All Robots</p><p>14:40 – The Personal Story Behind the Company Mission</p><p>15:40 – Licensing Opportunities and the $5 Billion Airport Mobility Market</p><p>16:45 – Hiring, Scaling the Team, and Expanding Production</p><p>18:00 – Growing Up Hacking Robots and the AC/DC Story</p><p>19:10 – Why Building Robots Is Fun — and Why Accounting Wasn’t</p><p>20:40 – Final Thoughts and the Future of Autonomous Mobility</p>