From sci-fi to 14,000 deployed units: The business of robotics – with Long Hei Roy Lim.

Many companies still dismiss robotics as pure science fiction. In this week's episode, I sit down with Long Hei Roy Lim to discuss what the reality actually looks like. His company, temi Robots, has already sold over 14,000 units across 33 countries, building AI-driven automation solutions that are currently transforming everything from healthcare to retail. The focus is entirely on open platforms where robots are adapted to help humans work smarter, rather than replacing them.

We break down concrete use cases from the operational reality and look at how their ecosystem allows companies to tailor solutions to their specific needs. We discuss telemedicine in Spain and the U.S. where patient wait times have been cut from hours to minutes, AI-driven inspection systems in manufacturing, and autonomous guides in European supermarkets. A central insight is how accessible the technology has become today; we are talking about lightweight, adaptable robots costing just a few thousand euros that are fundamentally redrawing the landscape across multiple industries.

The strategic crossroad is clear: ignoring this development means deliberately stagnating. The global market is growing rapidly, and the real differentiator lies in how we implement and build systems that work alongside employees. The conversation boils down to the importance of digital collaboration—using intelligent hardware to scale human potential and build lasting competitive advantages. This is an episode for those of you who want to understand how AI and robotics are actually creating measurable value today.

Roy Linkedin:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/limlonghei

Temi Robots website:

https://www.robotemi.com/