Autonomous micro mobility is increasingly becoming a part of everyday life. It provides efficient and accessible transportation options for people in crowded or complex environments — such as malls, schools, and offices — while reducing congestion, lowering emissions, and promoting more sustainable urban transportation systems.
A&K Robotics, a rapidly growing autonomous micro mobility company, is at the forefront of this new era of micro transportation. The Vancouver-startup specializes in the design and development of electric micro mobility platforms and self-driving robotic pods that are reliable, accurate, and can safely navigate around moving people and objects. Their innovative robots significantly enhance the quality of life for people with limited mobility, promoting greater independence and accessibility. As they continue to gain market share and land new customers, accessing IP support has become a key focus for the robotics startup.
“As a deep-technology company making self-driving robots, we have always recognized that IP is critical to our business,” said COO and Co-Founder, Jessica Yip.
With the support and recommendation from SFU VentureLabs, Jessica and her team applied for our AccelerateIP Program, and within a short time, they started the program and were on their way to connecting with the right experts to guide their IP strategy.
We spoke with Jessica to learn more about her company’s AccelerateIP experience and how A&K Robotics is leveraging their IP to grow their business.
Tell us a little bit about your company and why IP is important to its success.
Jessica: We’re A&K Robotics, an autonomous micro mobility company that’s leading the future of transportation — which is electric, autonomous, connected, and shared. We design electric micro mobility platforms and self-driving robotic pods to enhance quality of life and positively impact the environment. Our autonomous robots empower individuals with limited mobility to travel long distances in places like airports, shopping centres, and museums.
We innovate boldly, our value propositions are unique, and our IP sets us ahead of our competitors. By safeguarding our proprietary technologies, we can protect our inventions, attract investment, and collaborate with more industry leaders — solidifying our position as a leader in the autonomous micro mobility sector.
What was your experience going through the AccelerateIP Program?
Jessica: Our experience going through the AccelerateIP Program was straightforward and efficient. The application process was short and easy and the disbursement was streamlined for our startup — we paid our portion to the provider, and AccelerateIP took care of the rest without requiring further involvement from us.
Any particular challenges that you face regarding IP in the robotics space?
Jessica: As an autonomous micro mobility company, we see a lot of market opportunities. We understand the current concerns of our customers and have a clear vision of how mobile robotics and automation will be adopted in the workplace in the future. When it comes to IP, our main consideration right now is determining what IP strategy will best support our growth.
How has working on your IP helped your company move forward, or how will it help you in the future?
Jessica: As a deep-technology company making self-driving robots, we have always recognized that IP is critical to our business in terms of ownership, protection, and strategy. Working on our IP has been instrumental in our progress, and it will continue to be a crucial focus as we gain more validation and proof points regarding where we deliver the most value to our customers and what has the greatest impact.
What advice do you have for founders who are considering or going through the program?
Jessica: Take the time to find the right service provider for your business. They need to be experts in your area, understand the trends around your technology and market, and have a deep understanding of your business.
What’s next for your company?
Jessica: We’ll be deploying at our first Canadian flagship site in June! We’re also very excited about working with our international partners and adding new team members so we can keep up with growing demand.
If your startup is interested in accessing IP support to grow and protect your ideas and intellectual assets, apply for our AccelerateIP Program.
