Mike Fiuk

Big update to start the year - excited to announce I'm joining Aformic as CEO! Aformic isn't a household name (yet), but we're a robotics startup that provides industrial automation hardware & software to some of the largest manufacturers on the planet. What we're building is critical as the US, the EU, and our global Allies find ourselves at an inflection point where we need to break our dependence on China and once again manufacture - at scale, at cost, and at speed. In pursuit of that mission, the team had an incredible 2025 in only our second year of operations and was able to: 🏭 Serve some of the world's largest HardTech companies with our solutions, including Toyota, Mitsubishi, 3M, Hitachi, Oshkosh and many more 📈 Earn the right to support customers at scale with $20M+ in bookings in 2025 ⚙️ Transition multiple Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR) models to low rate initial & full rate production 💻 Deploy our Qursor orchestration platform to control third-party hardware live in customer facilities All of this with a lean team and no external capital raised to date. I'm incredibly excited to pursue our mission and lead the talented team at Aformic. Lots of work, but getting after our goals aggressively will help us build at the scale needed to win. I'll be sharing updates throughout our journey here. More soon!

@CameronLMcCord @CristinCulver @DARPA Congrats Cam - crushing it!

@DARPA has selected Nominal as the data backbone for CyPhER Forge. This is how you re-imagine test for the future. All systems Nominal. Press release: lnkd.in/gzjP2Vj3

@Rewkang @RoboStrategy Congrats on the hire - great get! We should chat btw. I run an industrial robotics startup that did eight figures of revenue last year.

We’ve assembled a world class team @RoboStrategy which we’ll be announcing over the coming weeks along with other important company updates Follow and turn on notifications to stay in the loop

@intern @RoboStrategy @Rewkang @WarcMeinstein Congrats! Love to see it

@RoboStrategy Very excited to take on this role alongside @Rewkang, @WarcMeinstein and the team Brief breakdown on why I'm fired up about this opportunity here: x.com/intern/status/…

BREAKING: Kevin McCordic (@intern) has signed with RoboStrategy as Chief Marketing Officer

@kylekuzma If you’re interested re your first point - know an industrial robotics startup on a $20M revenue run rate, no external fundraising to date.

Three things I’m underwriting hardest in 2026: -AI applied to industrial throughput. -autonomous defense + space robotics -clinical-stage biotech where AI compresses trial timelines. Everything else feels crowded

@wojventures Not too bad!

@MLFiuk Exactly 12h

Can't wait to fly Warsaw to San Francisco direct in September

@litcapital Ball knower, some might say

Kyle Kuzma out here tweeting about Meta’s data center capex on Sunday night of MDW lmao

@alt_w_v_g 12/10. No notes.

My wife mentioned a nice private school over dinner this week She said the campus was beautiful I asked what's the tuition She said we should look at it as an investment in him not a cost I made a note She said don't make a note I said I always make notes She said this isn't a deal I said everything is a deal She closed her eyes She said we'd discuss it Saturday I agreed Saturday 7:02am She came downstairs in her Saturday robe Coffee in hand I had my cargo shorts on The dining room had been cleared The projector was on The analyst was at the head of the table Quarter zip on, three iced coffees, a legal pad, and two laptops He had been there since 6:44am I texted him at 11:14pm Friday The text said dining room 6:45am bring the model He sent a thumbs up My wife stopped in the doorway She said what is this I said you said you wanted to discuss it She said this is not a discussion I did not respond She sat down anyway The analyst stood He said good morning ma'am She did not respond He sat back down A printed deck in front of each seat A fourth copy in case Slide 1 Tuition Schedule $38,500 per year Thirteen years $500,500 nominal Before escalators The school has raised tuition 4.2% per year for a decade With escalators $648,000 My wife said okay I said I'm not done Slide 2 Opportunity Cost Even before escalators $38,500 invested annually 10% nominal return S&P long-run average since 1928 By his eighteenth birthday $944,000 My wife said we can afford it I said I know that's not the slide Slide 3 Terminal Value at Age 65 $83 million She was quiet The analyst slid the sensitivity tables across the table 8% return $31 million 10% return $83 million 12% return $222 million She did not look She said this isn't about money I said it's always about money She said no it isn't I said then what is it about She did not answer She said you can't put a dollar value on his teachers his classmates his environment I said I can the analyst already did slide 6 He flipped to slide 6 She did not look She said the school is the best in the city I said best is a feeling She said it produces the best students I said the students were already the best before they got there She said our son deserves it I said our son deserves $83 million My son walked in He is five Dinosaur pajamas He looked at the projector He looked at the open deck on the table He looked at slide 3 He said are we modeling pre-tax or after-tax The analyst opened a new tab My wife looked at the ceiling He said what's the discount rate The analyst set down his pen She closed her eyes He said is this the same return assumption from the 529 conversation The analyst stopped typing He looked at me I did not say anything She stood up Sat back down He said dad can I help I said yes He pulled up a chair The analyst handed him a printout He started reading My wife watched him read She watched him for a long time She said his name He looked up She said do you like school He said the work is too easy and the kids don't ask questions She did not respond She looked at the ceiling She walked out of the room The analyst started packing up He said should I follow up Monday sir I said no follow up needed He'll be fine Sent from my iPhone

@nunzi46 Great find. Crazy to think through how much other business struggle to do similar things at a) lower scale with b) far less favorable terms.

Pulling off this move might’ve been more difficult than colonizing Moon

@jimbelosic @reindsummit Congrats Jim - keep crushing it!

@mkratsios47 @howardlutnick This is fantastic! Would love to participate if you’re open to demos/showcases from industrial robotics startups, particularly based in the Southeast (South Carolina)

Exited to be hosting the G20 Innovation Ministerial with Secretary @howardlutnick in Raleigh-Durham this September 1st and 2nd!

@ADoricko “Hey brother, what if I told you that you can come work here and *literally* make it rain?”

Rainmakers own these streets

@DeveloperHarris @SantiagoPliego Go work at AHC - doing critically important work! Also, are you guys looking for any additional automation in your manufacturing process? I run an industrial automation robotics startup and I’d be happy to help.

we're hiring at The American Housing Corporation! join us in industrializing homebuilding and ending the housing crisis. full time in Austin, TX with competitive pay, equity, and benefits. apply on our site

Getting ready to hit the road this week and start my day (pre staff meeting!) with a six figure PO. Love to see it. Bad news for the sales team though - the weighted pipeline calls for another additional $1.8M of bookings this month so the pressure stays on!

@RobertMSterling Good post. We need more of this

I just had the craziest experience at the airport. We are about to board a flight to Atlanta when the pilot from the incoming plane walks out of the jetway. Guy is probably late 50s, salt and pepper hair, military look. The kind of pilot you instantly feel good about seeing on your flight. Pilot walks over to the counter, gets on the PA system, and starts addressing everyone. “Folks, I’ve been doing this a long time. Flying one of these jets is easy. The hard part is looking at 130 people and telling them their flight is going to be delayed.” Audible groans throughout the boarding gate. Most people here are flying to Atlanta as a layover before another flight. 130 people just had their day become a complete mess. The pilot goes on. “I get it, trust me. But here’s the deal: During our landing, we had a small mechanical issue. I’m not your pilot for the next leg, but I don’t feel confident the jet’s safe to fly until we have a mechanical team look it over, and I don’t feel comfortable asking the next pilots to fly you guys until we get confirmation.” He points at the agents next to him behind the counter: “Now, none of this is the agents’ fault. Please be kind to them. I’m the one who made this decision, not them, so any inconvenience you experience is my fault. Just please know that I don’t do this lightly, and I’m only doing it because I believe it’s in the best interests of everyone’s safety.” Now this is where the story gets crazy. The pilot puts the microphone down, grabs his suitcase, and all the people in the gate… Start clapping. I’m not joking, everyone starts clapping for the guy. 130 people who just had their travel plans ruined give an ovation to the guy who made the decision and delivered the message. All because he addressed them with decency and transparency, took ownership of the decision, made it clear that it was necessary, and explained why it was in everyone’s best interest. It’s honestly one of the best examples of strong communication—of strong leadership, for that matter—that I’ve seen in a long time. @Delta, whoever your Atlanta to Wichita pilot was this morning, he’s one of the good ones. Please tell him the delayed passengers of flight 1637 appreciate what he did.

@CaitlinCloud9 Just sent a DM

@MLFiuk let’s chat!

building in aerospace & defense requires a very different capital roadmap than traditional software. longer development cycles, manufacturing complexity, government procurement timelines, working capital needs… it all matters. svb just published a new guide on financing a&d companies from formation through scale, including venture debt, ar lines, equipment finance, and more. a must-read for founders and investors in the space. svb.com/industry-insig… @SiliconVlyBank

@willbitsky When a16z gear with that flag (in the right hand picture) on it?

1. telling everyone I know I live in ponkiesberg, NY 2. first major battle after US declared independence in July 1776 3. american dynamism, btw

@luke_metro Niche banger

@ItzSuds 1) What

Cannot believe you can just ask for things like “can I have a place to stay in Napa?” and someone on this site will just give it to you.

@NWischoff Hey, shot you a DM. Would be happy to chat!

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