From Zero to Demo Day: How Starta Ventures Shaped Ararat Robotics

It wasn't on the calendar. We hadn't planned for it. But there we were, standing in front of a room full of investors at Starta Ventures' Batch 11 Demo Day, pitching an idea that was barely three weeks old. We hadn't come seeking funding; we were there almost by accident. Yet, June 24th, 2021, marked the true beginning of Ararat Robotics. It was the day we learned to embrace the agile mindset, take critical feedback to heart, and ultimately, pivot our focus to build a foundation here on Earth.

From Space Dreams to Agile Realities

Our journey began with a passion for space. Initially, the Ararat Robotics team was exploring the vast potential of space robotics, researching entry points into this exciting industry. We joined the 2021 Starta Launchpad program (formerly Starta Pre-accelerator) to refine our business model and navigate the complexities of the startup world. This program was instrumental in teaching us the fundamentals of building a business, but it also exposed significant hurdles, some of which remain challenging even today.

One thing became clear: we needed a model for early-stage success. Georgiy Aleksanyan, our co-founder, took the initiative and joined Starta VC as an associate in May 2021. This immersion in the Starta ecosystem proved invaluable. Georgiy forged strong relationships with the Batch 11 cohort and gained firsthand insights into refining products for the US market.

The Unexpected Pitch

As Demo Day approached, Gabriel Arant, Starta's program director, presented us with an unexpected opportunity: a bonus pitch slot for the audience. We seized the moment without hesitation. We knew this was our chance to put our nascent ideas to the test.

To prepare, we immersed ourselves in the world of startup pitches, attending numerous contests leading up to Demo Day. We analyzed what worked, what didn't, and what truly resonated with investors. We distilled these learnings into our own pitch deck, cramming weeks of research, financial modeling, and strategic planning into a concise presentation.

Then came June 17th and our first "practice run" at a pitch contest just a week before the main event. We presented our vision for space mining, outlining our target market, customer value proposition, and action plan. The feedback was immediate and, frankly, a bit overwhelming. While the audience appreciated our ambition and preparation, it was evident that our core business model needed a fundamental shift.

The Pivot: Grounding Ourselves in Terrestrial Robotics

The judges' feedback, especially from Charles McCormick, was a wake-up call. We realized that our initial focus on space was, at that stage, too ambitious. We needed to ground ourselves in a more immediate and achievable market. This is where we truly embraced the agile philosophy.

In the week leading up to Demo Day, we drastically revised our pitch, shifting our focus to terrestrial robotics applications. We identified the pressing need for automation in industries like agriculture and logistics, driven by labor shortages and rising costs. We created a new website, established our social media presence (@araratrobotics on all platforms linked below), and refined our message to highlight the tangible benefits of our robotics solutions for these sectors.

Costa Rhoda, the founder of Loyal Me, was instrumental in guiding this transformation, helping us understand how to effectively communicate our value proposition to investors and a wider audience. The entire Starta team, including Gabriel Arant, Anastasia Lyukova, Max Sokolov, Dwayne "The Crack" Ocasio (you have to meet him in person, he abolished Social Media forever), Rob Napoli, and Lisa Patti, provided invaluable support and mentorship throughout this process.

Demo Day and Beyond

Finally, Demo Day arrived. We delivered our revised pitch to a packed room and a large online audience. The response was incredibly positive. While we didn't raise capital that day, we gained something far more valuable: a network of supporters, mentors, and valuable connections.

Since then, Ararat Robotics has continued to evolve. We've achieved significant milestones, including:

• Published research on lunar mining and a novel oxygen extraction reactor.

• Got invited to a podcast and spoke about our mission and vision.

• Launched a merch store for robotics and space tech enthusiasts to support our operations.

Our Vision for the Future

While our initial steps have been here on Earth, our eyes are still on the stars. We believe that the experience and expertise we're gaining in terrestrial robotics will ultimately pave the way for our long-term vision of space exploration. We're building a future where robots play a crucial role in solving critical challenges, both on Earth and beyond.

Our journey is far from over. We are currently focused on developing a novel modular robotics platform to revolutionize automation here on earth. We are actively seeking talented individuals to join our team and help us build the future of robotics. We need engineers, roboticists, business developers and many more!

We invite you to be a part of the Ararat Robotics story. Whether you're a potential investor, a future team member, or simply passionate about robotics and the future of automation, we'd love to connect.

The future of robotics is being built today, and we're excited to have you with us on this journey. Thank you for being a part of the Ararat Robotics community!