1. EachPod

Bootstrapping Robots with Grit, a 3D Printer, and a Raspberry Pi – Joseph Casebeer of Takamori

Author
Jason Cavness
Published
Sun 24 Aug 2025
Episode Link
https://wefunder.com/cavnesshr/

πŸŽ™οΈ The Jason Cavness Experience

Guest: Joseph Casebeer – Founder & CEO, Takamori Robot

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πŸš€ Support Takamori Robot

Kickstarter Launch: takamorirobot.com/kickstarter Website: TakamoriRobot.com Instagram: @takamori_robot

πŸ‘€ About Joseph Casebeer

Joseph Casebeer is a computer engineer, tech generalist, and founder of Takamori Robot, a startup building affordable, modular robotics kits for students and makers.

Born in Luxembourg to Japanese American parents, Joseph grew up on four continents β€” giving him a global perspective on engineering, education, and problem-solving.

Now based in Tacoma, WA, he’s bootstrapping his robotics dream from a shared house with seven roommates, a borrowed 3D printer, and a Raspberry Pi Pico. He’s an active member of Startup253, helping to energize Tacoma’s startup scene. His Kickstarter launches August 12th β€” no VC, just pure grit.

πŸ” What We Cover in This Episode
  • The 7-roommate reality of early startup life

  • How growing up across continents shaped his worldview

  • Joseph’s journey into engineering and tech

  • Why breaking into the tech industry isn’t always a straight line

  • Bootstrapping a hardware startup with minimal resources

  • Prepping for Kickstarter without outside funding

  • The mission and vision behind Takamori Robot

  • Makerspaces, Startup253, and Tacoma’s founder community

  • Why marketing is as critical as building the product

  • Thoughts on AI, sustainability, and the future of robotics

  • His surprising early musical background

  • Advice for engineers and first-time founders

🧠 Joseph’s Advice for Engineers

β€œIt’s not just about building the product. You have to talk to people. Marketing might feel like a chore β€” but it’s critical if you want to create something people actually want.”

πŸ“‘ Connect with Joseph

πŸ’Ό LinkedIn – Joseph Casebeer πŸ“˜ Facebook – Takamori Robot πŸ“‹ Customer Discovery Survey – Preorder List

πŸ’‘ Free Resources & Ways to Support CavnessHR

πŸ“š Get 7 free ebooks from The Jason Cavness Experience β†’ buildcavnesshr.com/ebooks 🀝 Join the CavnessHR Builders Club β†’ buildcavnesshr.com πŸš€ Support CavnessHR on Wefunder β†’ wefunder.com/cavnesshr

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