In this episode of Perceived Reality, host Nadja Atwal speaks with Hiten Sonpal, CEO of RISE Robotics, an MIT-affiliated robotics company disrupting the $600B hydraulics industry. Hiten shares how a childhood fascination with robots led to a career building advanced automation—and now scaling a breakthrough technology that makes electric heavy machinery possible for the first time.
Key Discussion Points:
From childhood curiosity to robotics leader - Hiten recalls the moment in first grade—crowded around a small black‑and‑white TV in India—when a Japanese robot show sparked his lifelong mission to build robots.
Beltdraulic™: the innovation changing a century-old industry - RISE Robotics’ patented system replaces inefficient hydraulic cylinders with belt‑driven actuators that are 3x faster, 3x more efficient, 3x more durable, and 80% lighter. It takes the “fluid” out of hydraulics and solves their biggest failures: leaks, emissions, energy waste, and cost.
A massive market ready for disruption - Hydraulics power nearly every heavy machine on earth—from construction and mining to logistics, defense, forestry, and maritime. They leak 100 million gallons of toxic oil yearly and create enormous carbon emissions.
Strategic focus: build what ships in 6–24 months - Hiten restructured RISE around near-term go‑to‑market wins, prioritizing projects that could hit the field quickly while pausing longer R&D cycles.
Three business pillars driving growth:
- Pentagon contracts:
- Building next-gen munitions loaders
- Guinness World Record for “strongest robotic arm”
- $300M+ long-term opportunity
- Cylinders business:
- Launched at Bauma
- Early traction in the oil & gas sector
- $11B TAM
- Liftgate business:
- A full product replacing outdated hydraulic gates
- Twice as fast, quieter, more efficient
- Enables extra deliveries per day
- Recurring revenue comparable to SaaS economics
Why customers truly buy:
Not because it’s “green.”
But because it’s faster, cheaper, more durable, and more profitable.
The environmental benefits are a powerful secondary win.
Investor momentum through Reg CF
RISE opened its raise to retail investors through WeFunder, becoming:
- #1 Reg CF fundraiser in Massachusetts
- Top 80 of all time
- Their terms match institutional round terms—driving exceptional demand.
Takeaways:
RISE Robotics is building technology that doesn’t just improve machines—it improves entire industries. By removing the inefficiencies, emissions, and hazards of hydraulics, Hiten and his team are accelerating electrification, reducing costs for manufacturers, and raising the standard of living for everyone who depends on global supply chains.
Closing Thoughts:
Hiten Sonpal is leading one of the most meaningful shifts in industrial technology in decades. With proven tech, strong government backing, and a path to scale across multiple sectors, RISE Robotics is not just building better machines—they’re engineering a cleaner, faster, more efficient future.