oseph 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, 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 energize Tacoma's founder community. His Kickstarter launches August 12 — no VC, just pure grit and curiosity.
What We Talk About
• The 7-roommate reality of early startup life
• How growing up across continents shaped his worldview
• Joseph's journey into engineering and tech
• Breaking into the industry without connections
• Bootstrapping a hardware startup with limited resources
• Preparing for Kickstarter without outside funding
• The mission and vision behind Takamori Robot
• Makerspaces, Startup253, and Tacoma's founder scene
• Why marketing is just as critical as building
• AI, sustainability, and the future of robotics
• Joseph's surprising musical background
• Advice for first-time founders and engineers
Joseph's Advice
"It's not just about building the product. You have to talk to people. Marketing might feel like a chore — but it's critical if you want to create something people actually want."
Connect with Joseph & Takamori Robot
🌐 Website – https://takamorirobot.com
🚀 Kickstarter Launch – https://takamorirobot.com/kickstarter
📸 Instagram – @takamori_robot
💼 LinkedIn – Joseph Casebeer
📘 Facebook – Takamori Robot
🧩 Customer Discovery Survey – Preorder List
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