About Piaggio Fast Forward and what they do
So Piaggio Fast Forward is a design and mobility company. It is more than just a robotics company. We're not looking just to solve solutions, but trying to understand our environment, how we all interact together, and how the robot can be an augmentation the help us in those environments. So we're not looking to solve one particular problem that sometimes some of the robotics companies may look to, you know, left, or I'll put these parts in this location, it's going to be how do we live in our life? And how does a robot engage and just become part of our life without being an obstacle for us? So it's, so there's a lot of design and how we, as a society live together. So it's kind of solving a different type of robotics question issue than some of the other robotics companies look to do. And Gita is one of the first products that Piaggio Fast Forward has made. That is a mobility robot. But it's it doesn't just how it follows you is more gauged to how we as a society move around. So Gita is designed and programmed in a way that it's supposed to go with us in our society versus saying, I have something following me like a wagon like it, pulling it behind you, it really is meant to just follow you and just be a part of our natural everyday environment.
Details on Piaggio Fast Forward's engineering team
So the engineering, you know, being a smaller company, we're pretty lean, we're very lean. But we do have engineering, we have a mechanical team, electronics team, software team, and a Cloud team, they all report up into the single engineering infrastructure, we all have an open office environment. So there aren't any cubes. So we are all in the same space. So that we can be extremely collaborative and responsive to the different needs as we're trying to complete these designs. So it's, it's a very open field. So people working on the web, and the mobile app are in with the robotics engineers who are doing the platform, and our autonomy team who works on the camera, and the end behaviors fit in the same spot. So everyone is there. And it's everyone's extremely accessible. We have people with PhDs to people that just graduated college all sitting in a group area, and we all openly and freely talk to each other very, very much as we're going through. So it isn't like that, you know, the test team is segregated over their test team sits right in the middle of everyone and we all just jump to, you know, different areas so that we can make sure that we all achieve what we end up doing. So it's a very, very open atmosphere and really cool for people because you get answers very quickly.
Cool projects engineers get to work on
So Gita is of course, our focus product, a focal point for this division, but a lot of the things that we do, and creating Gita has opened up other areas that we are now investigating and having potential other products to go out into the market. I think about first quarter this year, there was a lot of videos circulating about spot robot, and we partnered, you know, with them, and we took some of our following technology and showed how the following technology can be used by other robots to improve their functions or in certain environments where that could be very valuable. So we can see that a lot of the things that we are developing can be componentized and looked at for other markets. And that was a really cool adventure, just being able to see how, you know, jointly we can get together with other companies can solve other problems that are out there together as well. So isn't that it's an us versus them it's you know, we have some thing that, you know, that could be beneficial, and they have something that's beneficial for a certain area, and how do we combine and solve some of these problems that we have out there in the workplace in the business place. So that was a really cool project. And, and a nice POC, that's, you know, that we're looking at right now to say, Where, where's that product gonna set with us. But a lot of things that we do here, you know, can be utilized in a multitude of areas. And I think the business itself is, is open to exploring where PFF can assist in quite a bit.
What to expect during the interview process
So at PFF. What we do here is from not just the hiring manager, but team members will help us screen the candidates very early on and kind of select were the right it's not always about being the right fit, but the right augmentation to the team. So we are not looking to say that this is a PFF employee and cookie-cutter, that's what we're looking for, it's what will be a great augmented the team, they have presented for specific Talents in certain areas and other members don't have that could be extremely beneficial to make us more well rounded and capable of being able to fill a multitude of opportunities around here. So I think a candidate for us is not necessarily looking for that piece. So during an interview, we look for these types of you know, signs in a person, and typically also in the interview, it's not just going to be with the manager, but with different team members and even cross teams will look at it. So you know, someone from the mechanical team or the electric team may be part of the interview process as well. Because, you know, they'll interact and do they have the, you know, the right demeanor, to to be able to take on the challenges of the projects that we're going after.
Piaggio Fast Forward's culture
It is a very diverse culture here at PFF. And everyone seems to meld. We have some people that are very sporty, gamers, music musicians, people just want to hang out or people that basically are, you know, they want to just do their work. So, but we all seem to get along very, very well. It's very inclusive. So it isn't that, you know, we're looking here to change you as you know, you have to be loud, or you have to be this, you can be who you are. And that's fine. And we are it's a very welcoming group of people. One of the things that I remember when I first started, I just came here, and the mechanical team was in an area going over a product. And before I was hired, someone had told them that I had done some mechanical, did not know the team. But as I was walking down, one of them yelled out my name. And they said, go and take a look at this. What do you think and you know, quick, very quickly not knowing anything about me not knowing anything about the team. They wanted? Just what was my opinion? What did I think of this, and let's just start a conversation. So you could be anywhere in, in the building. And you know, teams will reach out to you just for the fact that it's that inclusive, we want to include as many ideas and as many people in what we're doing. So it's a culture here is is very welcoming in that sense that you know, you're not on an island. Unless, you know, you want to be just quiet for yourself. That's okay. And when you don't want to be we want you to know, everybody wants to be a part and work together and be with you. So it's great in that sense that you can be what you are and have as much as you want now.
Why now is the ideal time to join
Right now in our society, as we can see, transportation and people just being more mobile and being more out, right being outdoors, outdoor seating is huge out just walking around just being outside is has become more and more a focal point in people's lives. And, you know, and Gita is a product that's in now it's fit for that right environment. We are seeing quite a bunch of companies and industries approaching us about how Gita could be a solution for their particular needs. So, you know, it has come to the forefront now that mobility and having devices in your life to help you be more mobile or healthy and able to do what you normally enjoy your life is important to people and PFF as a company. Like I told you we are designed and really a design and technology company that our technology now we've we're now looking at other different markets. So there is a lot to do here. So it isn't that you're coming here to go work on Gita right now but you may be working on Gita, you may be working on other particular products and ideas that we have out there that that need to be staffed and done. So it's a hugely wide product base that we're looking at in Piaggio's future here so it is a great great time to get on the ground floor be part of a new product that we just decided that we just launched this past Wednesday so the next version of Gita which is Gita Mini has been launched. And we have more products in the pipeline that we are you know looking to launch in the upcoming years and in even looking at diversifying and other markets so it's it's perfect if this is this is the right time that you want to be part of a company that's fast. That's looking to do so much and you know, and it's about making our lives better. Really, truly looking at that.
Transcribed by https://otter.a
