Automation and robotics expand opportunities for SMBs and workers

Automation and robotics are creating new commercial opportunities for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) and blue-collar workers by lowering barriers to entry. The rise of the robotics-as-a-service (RaaS) model is making advanced technology accessible to independent operators in sectors such as agriculture, cleaning, and logistics.

In Dallas, Texas, SkyPSI is investing $5 million in a RaaS model designed to empower workers to start their own businesses, such as exterior cleaning companies, by providing drones and operational guidance. This approach aims to mitigate labor gaps and provide paths to business ownership for those without extensive traditional training.

In the manufacturing sector, automation is helping smaller companies achieve productivity levels previously reserved for large corporations. For example, the femtosecond laser company LITILIT is utilizing automation in its Vilnius facility to scale production to 3,000 lasers annually with a relatively small workforce. This shift is increasingly vital as aging populations in Europe, the US, and China create growing pressure on global labor markets.