2026-11-03

Autonomous robots can boost the efficiency of operations in massive warehouses. The problem is cost and time, because for robots to move around a warehouse, the space and systems must be modified. This is why companies that run warehouses hesitate to adopt autonomous robots. 

Riibotics, a developer of autonomous robot solutions, is bringing a wind of innovation to the warehouse market. The company is developing technology that allows robots to be used without making major changes to the structure of existing warehouses. Recently, it signed a letter of intent (LOI) with a U.S. logistics company, earning recognition for its technological capabilities.

Smilegate Startup Foundation's Orange Planet has joined Riibotics on its path into the global market and lent its support. Orange Planet is a startup foundation established on the social impact philosophy of Hyukbin Kwon, CVO of Smilegate, and supports the growth of startups through education, mentoring, and a global network. Over the past 12 years, it has discovered and nurtured more than 450 promising startups, and the combined corporate value of its alumni companies exceeds 4.08 trillion won.

The Smilegate Newsroom sat down with Seungmin Baek, CEO of Riibotics, to hear about the company's autonomous robot technology, its journey into the U.S. market, and its growth story alongside Orange Planet.

Q. Could you tell us about Riibotics and yourself? 

Riibotics develops logistics robot solutions that can be put to practical use in industrial settings. The company name "Riibotics" stands for "Robotics for Industrial Innovation."

I gained a wide range of experience at Universal Robots and HD Hyundai Robotics, from R&D of industrial robots to product planning and field deployment. During that time, I realized that deploying robots at actual sites takes as much time and money as developing them.

Riibotics was founded to address these inefficiencies in the warehouse market. We don't stop at building technically excellent robots; we focus on developing robot solutions that can be used easily and efficiently at real industrial sites.

Q. What is Riibotics' differentiated technology?

Riibotics uses Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) technology and Spatial Intelligence technology. SLAM allows a robot to build a map of its surroundings while determining its own position, and we have achieved accuracy within an error margin of about 3.3mm. By incorporating spatial intelligence, we are developing the capability for robots to distinguish between the aisles they can travel through and the work zones where cargo is loaded and unloaded, and to automatically update the necessary parts of the map when the surrounding environment changes.

This technology has allowed us to focus on "brownfield" sites, meaning warehouses and factories that are already in operation. Unlike "greenfield" facilities, which are newly designed with robot adoption in mind, the structure of existing brownfield facilities is difficult to change. In addition, workers and equipment move around together and the positions of goods change frequently, so technology that lets robots perceive their surroundings on their own and respond flexibly is essential.

Our ultimate goal is to realize "1-Day Deployment," in which robots can be deployed on site in a single day without a complicated installation process. Through this, we aim to make it easy and quick to introduce robots even in existing warehouses, and to reduce the time and cost burden on our customers.

Q. How did you first connect with Orange Planet, and what kind of support have you received since moving in?

While looking for startup support information to secure office space in Seoul, I came across Orange Planet. I met with a representative from Orange Planet and was able to join the Orange Garden1) program.

After passing the growth evaluation held roughly every six months, we are now based at Orange Farm2). Throughout that process, the experience of regularly reviewing our performance and setting the next goals was a great source of motivation.

The education and mentoring on B2B sales and business growth, as well as networking with experts who have extensive overseas business experience, were also a great help. Thanks to people at Orange Planet and Smilegate Investment, we were able to connect with overseas investment professionals, venture capital (VC) representatives, and founders who have run businesses in the U.S. I believe that support has become a practical foundation for our global expansion.

Q. What role did Orange Planet play in supporting your expansion into the U.S.?

With its high labor costs, the U.S. is a market where adopting robots in the logistics industry yields significant cost savings. It also has many large-scale warehouses. That's why we set our sights on the U.S. market from the very beginning of the company. At first, however, securing customers locally was so difficult that even visiting a single warehouse was a challenge.

The U.S. expansion Product-Market Fit (PMF) bootcamp that Orange Planet piloted in late 2025 was a real help. In this program, four to five startups preparing to enter the U.S. reviewed and refined their strategies at one- to two-week intervals. Thanks to it, we were able to re-clarify our target customers and the value of our service, and to firm up our direction for market entry.

During a business trip to the U.S. in early 2026, we held about 100 meetings and met with 50 logistics-related customers. Of these, we visited the logistics sites of six, confirmed purchase intent from two companies, and signed a letter of intent (LOI) with one of them. We had our own efforts and trial and error along the way, but Orange Planet's support helped us shape our U.S. expansion strategy.

Q. What do you think sets Orange Planet apart?

What impressed me most is how sincerely they support founders. Of course, other startup foundations are sincere in their support too, but Orange Planet feels special. They constantly think about the opportunities and support founders need, to the point where I find myself wondering, "Why are they going this far to help us?" (laughs)

I believe this culture reflects the firm commitment and philosophy of Hyukbin Kwon, CVO of Smilegate, to support the next generation of founders. I met CVO Kwon in person at a startup networking event in the U.S. last July, and I could sense his sincere desire, as a senior founder, to share his experience with younger founders and help them. His commitment seems to flow naturally into Orange Planet's culture of support.

There is also "Pay It Forward,"* one of the cultural traditions of Silicon Valley in the U.S. Other startups sometimes ask me for advice on robotics and physical AI, and I, too, try to share my experience and thoughts with other founders in return for the help I have received.

*Pay It Forward: A culture in which senior founders selflessly give back the help they once received to support the growth of junior founders.

Q. What goals and vision does Riibotics hope to achieve going forward?

Our first goal is to prove the technological capability and economic value of our robots in the U.S. logistics market. In 2027, we plan to operate our robots at actual sites and verify their performance. In the long term, we want to build an ecosystem where many companies that run warehouses can easily adopt and use industrial robots. Our vision is to use spatial intelligence technology to simplify the complicated installation and task setup process, so that robots can be deployed on site even by people who aren't professional engineers.

Q. Do you have any words for prospective and early-stage founders who are considering applying to Orange Planet?

In the early days of a startup, advice from experts with diverse experience and from a wide range of founders is a great help. I recommend actively making use of support programs like Orange Planet's, which offer education, mentoring, and networking opportunities. Since we ourselves have received so much help through Orange Planet, we hope to share that experience with other founders going forward.

The Smilegate Orange Planet Startup Foundation is the startup support foundation responsible for the "startup" stage of the virtuous cycle ecosystem of "creativity, creation, and startups" envisioned by CVO Hyukbin Kwon. Since its launch in 2014, it has provided space, mentoring, networking, and cloud infrastructure free of charge, supporting the growth of startups stage by stage. To date, 469 startups have gone through Orange Planet, with alumni companies reaching a combined corporate value of 4.08 trillion won and creating 3,209 jobs.