Bumblebee Spaces
Bumblebee Spaces designed robotic furniture systems that transform how people live in small spaces — using automation to make rooms smarter, more flexible, and more livable. By storing beds, wardrobes, and storage overhead and bringing them down on demand, Bumblebee reimagined space as a service.
My Role
I led the transition from early-stage prototypes to low-volume production, with a focus on manufacturability, safety, and global sourcing.
I was responsible for the full vendor stack — from drivetrains to electronics to textiles — and scaled production across China, Mexico, Japan, Germany, and the US. I also led compliance and safety certification, helping establish a new product category.
Key Projects/Results
Global Supply Chain: Sourced and negotiated vendor contracts across 5 countries, including drivetrain, PCBA, FATP, and textiles.
Cost Reduction: Drove product from $250K prototype to $20K final production cost across ~500 robots.
Safety Certification: Led compliance and certification process (e.g. UL Functional Safety) for a new product category.
R&D + DFM
Manufacturing
Cost Reduction + DFM
Problem
The early Bumblebee prototype cost $250K — far too high for residential deployment at scale. A complete redesign and DFM process was needed to bring the cost down without compromising on performance, reliability, or aesthetics.
Result
Reduced product cost by 92%, from $250K to $20K, and scaled to ~500 production units across 100 apartments.
Method
Led DFM across mechanical, electrical, and software systems. Selected and managed vendors globally, aligning design and production to reduce cost while preserving product integrity. Oversaw low-volume production and installation processes.
Global Manufacturing + Vendor Sourcing
Problem
Bumblebee needed a robust, cost-efficient supply chain for a highly custom product with no off-the-shelf equivalent. Vendors had to be identified, validated, and negotiated across multiple countries.
Result
Built a global supply chain covering drivetrain, PCBA, textiles, and final assembly — with minimal upfront capital commitments.
Method
Sourced and negotiated MSAs with vendors in China, Mexico, Japan, Germany, and the US. Balanced cost, capability, and logistics across supplier tiers. Managed vendor relationships through prototyping, validation, and production.
UL Functional Safety Certification
Problem
Bumblebee’s robotic furniture system operated in residential environments where safety was critical — yet no certification path existed for the product category. Achieving compliance was essential to unlock deployment at scale and meet regulatory expectations.
Result
Successfully led the UL Functional Safety certification process, establishing a framework for a new product category and ensuring safe operation in residential settings.
Method
Owned end-to-end certification strategy, from system architecture and failure analysis to test plan development and lab coordination. Worked closely with UL to define a certification path for a novel use case, aligning hardware and software design to meet safety standards. Integrated functional safety requirements into product development lifecycle.