From Sidewalks to Scale: What It Actually Takes to Build Real-World Robotics | The Pair Program Ep96

What does it take to turn autonomous robotics from a demo into real-world infrastructure? In this episode of The Pair Program, Paige Craig, Managing Partner at Outlander VC, and Zach Rash, Co-founder & CEO at Coco, discuss scaling autonomous delivery, building operational moats through real-world data, navigating regulation and reliability, and what separates successful robotics companies from the rest. They also explore the future of physical AI and the founder traits behind category-defining businesses.

What we cover in this episode:

• Why real-world deployment matters more than perfect demos
• Building operational moats in robotics and physical AI
• The economics and challenges of last-mile delivery
• How autonomous systems learn from real-world data
• Reliability as the key to scaling logistics networks
• The future impact of autonomy across industries
• Founder-market fit and what investors look for in exceptional founders

About Paige Craig: Paige is the Managing Partner of Outlander VC, where he invests in founders building category-defining companies. A former Marine Corps officer and entrepreneur, he successfully scaled a national security company before transitioning into venture capital, backing companies such as Lyft, SpaceX, and AngelList early in their growth.

About Zach Rash: Zach is the CEO and co-founder of Coco, an autonomous delivery company focused on transforming last-mile logistics. Since launching the company, he has helped expand autonomous delivery services across multiple cities while advancing sustainable, technology-driven solutions for urban transportation.

This episode is supported by Defense Unicorns

Defense Unicorns builds platform technologies that help deliver mission-critical capabilities faster and more reliably. Their open architecture approach enables secure, scalable systems without vendor lock, creating flexibility across the software ecosystem. Backed by a team of engineers, innovators, and veterans, they bring deep experience across defense and federal tech.

Get in touch at hello@defenseunicorns.com

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