Ally Robotics

Ally Robotics is creating robotic arms at-scale to enable companies to implement them to address labor shortages.

Labor shortages have left vacancies in industries like food service, construction, and manufacturing. For example:

A record-high one million U.S. workers quit the restaurant industry in 2021. Nearly one-and-a-half million American manufacturing jobs were lost during the pandemic. And despite more than one billion dollars in additional spending last year, the construction industry faced a $650,000 labor gap.

Many companies expected robots to fill these positions. But current options are expensive, require experts to program them, and are designed for industrial applications.

Notably, a company like Miso Robotics has found success creating robots for the food-service industry, and achieved a $500 million valuation. Now demand for more robots is accelerating. That’s why Miso, along with venture-capital firm Wavemaker Partners, invested in Ally Robotics — and now you can, too.

This company’s robotic arms are affordable, lightweight, smart, and easy to use. Additionally, there are several advantages that make Ally Robotics’ arms different than anything on the market. For example:

• No Code — A “no-code” programming option means customers don’t have to spend time learning extensive coding.

• Single hand-end effector — An end effector is a device that attaches to a robot's wrist, enabling it to interact with tasks. This feature enables the arm to accommodate the majority of human workflow automation.

• Imitation learning — Behaviors and tasks can be trained by anyone through demonstration, similar to a human being.

• Scale — These arms are designed to be manufactured at-scale using low-cost materials.

Ally Robotics is focused on getting its arms in the hands of real companies. That’s why it’s partnered with Miso Robotics to supply arms to its line of “Flippy” products (Flippy is a robot designed to flip burgers and automate other restaurant-related tasks). Miso has signed a Letter of Intent with Ally Robotics, which could generate thirty million dollars in revenue.

This will be the start of the company’s plan to target the $297 billion quick-service restaurant market. From there, it aims to deploy its arms among collaborative-robotics companies (these companies often perform industrial-related tasks) and service-robotics companies (non-industrial-related tasks).

Team Background

Mitch Tolson - Founder & CEO

Mitch has spent more than three decades as an entrepreneur and has twenty-six years of engineering experience. In addition to his current role, he is a technical advisor for Miso Robotics, the company creating robotic assistants for the kitchen.

Prior to starting Ally Robotics, he was Director of Robotics with Fresh Consulting, a company helping businesses to design and build robots and accompanied software. Prior to that, he founded UMODS, a “side project” of his that involved designing and prototyping household robots.

Mitch spent more than six years with Microsoft, serving as an engineer, information-systems manager, and later Head of Engineering Services. Before that, he founded his own technical-consulting firm.

Earlier in his career, he was a product engineer with PACCAR, a motor-vehicle manufacturing company. He also spent time owning a hot dog stand and laundromat.

He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Washington.

David Harder - Chief Operating Officer

David began his career with Nokia, a telecommunications company, serving as a global strategic sourcing director. From there, he spent a decade with Microsoft as a manufacturing and supply-chain manager, and later Senior Director of Technology Management.

More recently, he was Senior Director of Global Supply Chain with Gap Inc., a retail business. He then became Managing Director of Sourcing and Procurement with LogicSource, a business-consulting firm.

David holds a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering from Purdue and an MBA from the University of Texas at Dallas.

Aaron Brown - Chief Technical Officer

Aaron has nearly two decades of experience in the software, hardware, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) sectors. In addition to his role with Ally Robotics, he is CEO of Rapta, a company using AI to target the industrial-manufacturing industry.

Previously, he was a software-development manager with RealSelf, a resource for those seeking elective medical procedures. Before that, he was a senior-engineering manager with Stanley Black & Decker, a consumer-goods company.

Earlier in his career, Aaron spent eleven years as co-founder and President of Indice Semiconductor, a semiconductor-manufacturing business. Before that, he was a senior-systems specialist with PBE Group, an electrical and electronics manufacturing company.

He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering from RMIT University.

Co-Investors

Wavemaker Partners

An early-stage venture capital firm invested in technology-related startups. Has invested in more than 30 companies that have achieved successful “exits.”