Share
The Techne Connect
Salimzhan Gafurov, Director of Advanced Research & Technology at Verne
•
Behind the Robot: Salimzhan Gafurov, Director of Advanced Research & Technology at Verne
In this episode of The Techne Connect, Salimzhan Gafurov shares his inspiring journey from aviation to robotics and autonomous driving. With two PhDs and a passion for innovation, Salimzhan reflects on the importance of education, networking, and embracing competition to drive personal and industry-wide growth. He offers practical advice for aspiring professionals and explores how software is reshaping the future of mobility.
Listeners will gain insight into:
✈️ Transitioning from aviation to robotics and autonomous vehicles
🎓 The value of education and lifelong learning
🤝 Why networking and team building matter in tech careers
⚙️ The evolution of software in the automotive industry
🚗 How autonomous driving is shaping the future of mobility
💡 The “fail fast” mindset and competing with yourself
📈 Career advice for engineers and innovators
👨👧 Balancing professional ambition with family life
Whether you're an engineer, student, or tech enthusiast, this episode delivers a thoughtful look at the intersection of robotics, software, and career development.
Thank you for listening to The Techne Connect Podcast - where we go behind the tech and ahead of the curve.
But we don’t just share stories, we help build them. At Techne Talent, we connect ambitious people with opportunities across the very industries we feature. If you’re inspired by what you hear, speak to us today about where your skills could take you.
👉 Don’t miss an episode: Follow and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.
📸 For behind-the-scenes content, follow us on Instagram: @techne_talent
💼 Explore opportunities and connect with us on LinkedIn: Techne Talent
Inspire your future. Plug into what’s next.
More episodes
View all episodes
Nico Perrin, Founder of PERRINN 424
41:26|In this episode we speak with Nico Perrin, founder of PERRINN 424 and a veteran of Formula One, Le Mans, and Formula E. Nico explains his ambition to close the performance gap between electric motorsport and Formula One by developing a digital first, fully electric race car designed to challenge the Nürburgring Nordschleife lap record.He shares his journey from race engineer and designer in Formula One to electric racing, and how those experiences shaped the PERRINN 424 project. Nico discusses the decision to build the team as an open source, community driven network, allowing contributors from across the world to take part in real time car development through simulation and digital twins.The conversation covers electric powertrain design, battery constraints, simulation led engineering, and the role of open networks in reducing cost and accelerating innovation. Nico also outlines his long term vision for hydrogen electric racing and why he believes electric motorsport will define the future of high performance racing.
Tyler Bouchard, CEO and Co-Founder at Flexxbotics
30:30|In this episode of Behind The Robot, Adam Ewing speaks with Tyler Bouchard, CEO and co-founder of Flexxbotics. Tyler explains how modern manufacturing is shifting toward software defined automation and why orchestration, interoperability, and autonomy sit at the centre of scalable robotics adoption.He shares his journey from mechanical engineering and industrial automation into building Flexxbotics, and how early experience across manufacturing, robotics components, and commercial roles shaped the company’s vision. Tyler discusses the challenge of connecting robots, machines, and business systems, and why clean, contextualised data is critical for reliable AI deployment in high compliance environments.The conversation explores manufacturing labour gaps, the role of robotics in reshoring and reindustrialisation, and the skills engineers need to succeed at production scale.This episode offers practical insight into robotics software, manufacturing autonomy, and building systems that work reliably in the real world.
Laurence Allen, CEO at Terranova
31:51|In this episode of Behind the Robot, we speak with Laurence Allen, CEO of Terranova.Laurence explains how Terranova builds autonomous terraforming robots to lift land out of flood zones, preserving cities and infrastructure in place. He shares lessons from SpaceX, scaling deep tech hardware, and why robotics must focus on real world problems like flooding and climate resilience.This episode explores robotics with impact, autonomy at scale, and building technology for long term human challenges.
The Techne Connect Special: Williams Grand Prix Technologies, Behind the Wheel
37:18|Recorded onsite at the Williams Technology Campus, this episode takes you inside Williams Grand Prix Technologies, where Formula One engineering culture is being applied to real-world industrial challenges.You hear from Selin Tur, Managing Director and CTO, as she shares her journey from F1 engineering to executive leadership. She explains the mission behind the business, the focus on digital engineering, predictive maintenance, and battery technology, and how Formula One speed, accountability, and systems thinking shape the way the team operates.
Lucy Edge, Space Industry Executive
35:42|In this episode of Behind The Orbit, we speak with Lucy Edge, a Space Industry Executive with experience across UK Defence, ESA, Surrey Satellite Technology, Avanti Communications, and the UK space innovation ecosystem.Lucy shares her journey from elite sport into astrophysics and spacecraft engineering, then into senior leadership roles spanning corporates, scale ups, and startups. She discusses how teams scale, why communication matters more as organisations grow, and the differences between working in large institutions and fast moving companies.The conversation also covers the future of space, including in orbit manufacturing, recycling, sustainability, and debris management. Lucy closes with reflections on women in space, the gender pay gap, and a high risk launch decision that shaped her leadership approach.
Lesya Hendrix, Founder and CEO of Spacer Robotics
52:20|In this episode of The Techne Connect, we spoke with Lesya Hendrix, CEO of Spacer Robotics, about building autonomous construction robots designed for harsh, repetitive work on Earth and future deployment in space.Lesya shares her path from KTH and Scania to Tesla, including factory ramp-ups and product launches. She explains why modern robotics needs autonomy, vision, and AI, why hardware engineering is rising again, and how young engineers should bridge the gap between core coding and AI skills.She also challenges the humanoid hype, using Star Wars as a lens for practical robot design, and breaks down Spacer’s roadmap from working prototype to pilots, funding, and scaling production.
Hossein Dehghani, Chief Technology Officer at Human in Motion Robotics Inc.
45:05|In this episode of Behind The Robot, we speak with Hossein Dehghani, CTO at Human In Motion Robotics Inc. in British Columbia, Canada. Hossein breaks down what the CTO role looks like in a robotics start-up, spanning product roadmap, system architecture, R and D, stakeholder alignment, and building the right technical culture across a multidisciplinary team.Hossein shares how his early exposure to university robotics groups shaped his approach to systems thinking and end to end problem solving. He also outlines his career path through mechatronics, product development, and innovation in advanced power wheelchairs, before joining Human In Motion Robotics and progressing into leadership.A key focus is the real world impact of self balancing exoskeleton technology, including moments from clinical deployment that show how mobility independence changes lives for people living with neurological conditions. The conversation also explores what will shape robotics over the next decade, including human centric design, trust and perceived safety, digital twins, simulation driven development, human robot interfaces, and sensor fusion.
Fabien Expert, Chief Technical Officer at Wandercraft
30:30|In this episode of Behind The Robot, we speak with Fabien Expert, hardware CTO at Wandercraft. Fabien explains how Wandercraft started with one clear mission, helping people who cannot walk to stand and walk again through exoskeleton technology.He shares how the company evolved from rehabilitation exoskeletons used in clinics to a personal exoskeleton designed for daily life, aimed as a complement to a wheelchair. Fabien also discusses Wandercraft’s expansion into humanoid robots for logistics and manufacturing, following investment and partnership activity, including work with Renault.The conversation covers what it takes to build robots in real life, the scale of engineering effort required, and why progress takes time. Fabien highlights lessons learned across a decade of development, including the importance of soft skills, teamwork, safety, and data driven engineering.
KC Kroll, Director of Civil Programs at EarthDaily
43:05|In this episode of The Techne Connect, we speak with KC Kroll, Director of Civil Programmes at EarthDaily. KC explains how Earth observation, spectral analytics and AI-ready satellite data are shaping new solutions across food security, agriculture, climate resilience and national security.He shares his career journey from psychology student to remote sensing specialist and senior leader in the space sector. KC discusses the evolution of the geospatial industry, the shift toward multi-source analytics and the challenge of translating complex science into products people can use. He also highlights the growing link between food supply, global stability and real time Earth monitoring.KC reflects on the future of satellite constellations, the impact of lower launch costs and the new demand for AI-driven geoanalytics. This episode offers clear insight into Earth observation, data-driven problem solving and the skills needed for the next generation of geospatial professionals.