CuboRex

CuboRex Inc., founded in 2016, specializes in developing and manufacturing robotic solutions for challenging, uneven terrains. The company was started by Terashima, who, as a graduate student, began developing electric crawler robots. The current CEO, Masato Kakazu, joined later and became president in March 2023. Kakazu, with a background in management engineering, complemented Terashima's technical focus, shifting the company towards creating sellable, market-driven products. The company's mission is to eliminate physical strain in manual labor sectors like agriculture, construction, and facility maintenance by providing robust robotic assistance.

CuboRex's business model encompasses direct sales, OEM/ODM services, and joint development projects with larger corporations. They serve a diverse client base, from individual farmers and construction companies to research institutions and large enterprises needing custom robotic solutions. A key part of their strategy involves creating core technology that can be adapted and customized, which they describe as being like "tough LEGOs" for rough terrain. This approach allows them to address specific industry needs, such as developing specialized carriers in partnership with companies like ENEOS G-LOBE.

The company's product portfolio is centered around two main offerings. The "E-cat kit" is a power-assist wheel that can be retrofitted to standard unicycles (cat cars), a common tool in Japanese agriculture and construction, making it easier to transport heavy loads on slopes and uneven ground. The second core product is the "CuGo" series, a modular crawler unit that serves as a development platform for mobile robots. This unit, which integrates a motor and crawler, enables companies and researchers to build and test robots for various applications, from automated weed spraying to site inspection. By focusing on these core hardware solutions, CuboRex provides the foundational mobility technology for a new generation of service robots designed to operate where conventional automated systems cannot.

Keywords: robotics, rough terrain mobility, agricultural technology, construction technology, automated transport, crawler unit, electric wheelbarrow, OEM robotics, custom robot development, hardware startup, Masato Kakazu, logistics automation, service robots, modular robotics, Japan, mobile robot platform, field robotics, labor shortage solutions, tough tech, mechatronics