Hello, I'm Ilia. Currently I'm building a robotics startup, Remake.ai. Here I publish my founder updates and observations on how startups are changing in 2025. Follow me on Substack.
With 22.1 million robot vacuums shipped globally and 10%+ US household penetration, I'm starting with the deployed robot base that exists today—not betting on a humanoid future that may take years to materialize.
Read more →My process for finding and screening remote engineering talent quickly - what actually works when you need both cost savings and face-to-face collaboration.
Read more →After years of autoimmune arthritis limiting my ability to work, I discovered an unexpected dietary trigger that led to remission—allowing me to build my startup full-time.
Read more →After three months of searching for a cofounder in SF Bay Area, I'm trying a new approach - hybrid out-person plus remote work with international talent.
Read more →Visiting manufacturers in China to form product partnerships for Remake.ai's robotics platform.
Read more →Why AI wrapper startups often fail despite having traction, and what makes Remake.ai different.
Read more →An honest assessment of Claude's limitations - and why I still consider it my best cofounder despite the drawbacks.
Read more →The robotics platform race has begun, and I'm committing $1M of personal capital to build the first App Store for consumer robots.
Read more →Why I chose Claude AI as my startup cofounder after searching for a human partner for a month.
Read more →How I searched for a startup cofounder and what I learned about the process in 2025.
Read more →How AI-assisted coding is transforming startup development and changing fundamental calculations about capital and cofounders.
Read more →