373: Tiny Home of the Future with Daizhan Ennals
Summary
On this episode of Startup Junkies, hosts Daniel Koonce, Claudia Scott, and Harrison Kitson sit down with Daizhan Ennals, the CEO and founder of Renewed Robotics, a manufacturer leveraging robotics and technology to help people become more resource independent. Born in Cambridge, Maryland, Daizhan dedicated five years of service to the United States Marine Corps. where he developed expertise as a mechanic, inspiring him to delve into the rigorous world of mechanical engineering. Throughout the conversation, Daizhan shares his entrepreneurial journey, explains Renewed Robotics Self-Assembling Municipality (S.A.M.) device, and lays out his plan to help end homelessness and home insecurity.
Show Notes
(0:47) Introducing Daizhan
(1:48) About Renewed Robotics
(3:14) Developing the Self-Assembling Municipality (S.A.M.)
(4:30) The Intent behind Renewed Robotics Tiny Home
(5:30) How the S.A.M. Device Works
(7:29) The Research behind the S.A.M. Device
(10:04) Daizhan’s Entrepreneurial Journey
(12:54) Renewed Robotics’ Project Timelines
(15:42) Renewed Robotics’ Ideal Customer
(18:31) The Future of Renewed Robotics’ Manufacturing
(19:36) About the S.A.M. Referral Program
(23:27) The Challenges of Business Ownership
(25:42) Achieving Sustainable Drinking Water
(29:02) Daizhan’s Motivation behind Helping Others
(32:20) Advice to Younger Self
Links
Quotes
“[The S.A.M.] will be a self-assembling and self-sustaining tiny home that can not only dig its own foundation, but unfold on its own and have solar panels on the outside to power the onboard battery bank, HVAC lights, water filtration system, and everything else. It will ideally be used for people who don’t have access to luxury, first-world amenities, so it can bring everyone up to speed with one device.” - Daizhan Ennals, (2:10)
“These technologies that are going into the S.A.M. are being developed and promoted independently. There’s just no one gluing them together. And that’s what Renewed Robotics is doing, we’re more of a technology integrator, not necessarily a technology inventor.” - Daizhan Ennals, (8:03)
“One of the most difficult parts of founding such a capital intensive product is getting a lot of people to actually understand the full scope of what you’re doing and then having faith that you can execute on that.” - Daizhan Ennals, (10:19)
“The referral program is to incentivize those who have already placed a pre-order. Right now, a lot of people who are interested in the device have been advocating for free, telling people about the device, but it would be even better if we could reward those people who are spreading the word about the S.A.M.” - Daizhan Ennals, (19:37)
“Currently, my number one need is actually being met, and that is, there’s a collaborative space being built in Bentonville where you can have an idea go from concept to reality.” - Daizhan Ennals, (22:00)
“I think one of the bigger things that people don’t really talk about when it comes to sustainability, that maybe we should approach going into the future, not only is electricity, but access to clean and healthy drinking water.” - Daizhan Ennals, (25:56)
“The aspiration of everybody being united for one force and solving our problems by focusing on something bigger has always been a driving factor…I would like to focus on making something that no matter how you look at it makes sense that it’s there for good.” - Daizhan Ennals, (30:10)
