Autonomous explores the technologies reshaping the physical world - drones, robotics, and AI-driven machines. Through conversations with founders, engineers, and investors, the podcast examines the breakthroughs, operational lessons, and market opportunities defining the future of autonomous systems.
Hosted by Shay Senior, an Israeli entrepreneur and technology scout in unmanned systems.
Why the World Still Needs Israeli Defense Tech | Noemie Alliel (Starburst)
How can countries publicly criticize Israel while continuing to rely on its defense technology?
In this episode of Autonomous, I sit down with Noemie Alliel, Managing Director of Starburst Israel, to explore the complicated relationship between politics, technology, and international business.
Born in France and building her career across different countries and industries, Noemie brings an interesting perspective on how governments, corporations, investors, and entrepreneurs work together, even when their political interests don't align.
We discuss what's happening in France, the relationship between Europe and Israel, and why Israeli defense technology continues to attract international interest despite growing political tensions.
But our conversation goes beyond geopolitics.
We explore the growing role of women in aerospace and defense, Noemie's journey into entrepreneurship and innovation, and what she's learned from working with founders who are trying to turn advanced technology into international businesses.
What makes an aerospace or defense startup worth supporting? Where do Israeli entrepreneurs have an advantage, and what are they still missing when approaching global markets?
And perhaps my favorite question: What is the one technology Noemie wishes an Israeli entrepreneur would bring to Starburst tomorrow?
A conversation about international relationships, entrepreneurship, ambition, and the people building the next generation of aerospace and defense technology.
Please follow us, subscribe to our channel, share with a friend that has interest in unmanned vehicles and leave a comment if there is a topic you would like us to cover.
1 Oct 2026
What happens when machines develop another sense? Shaul Mazor (Tracense)
What happens when robots can sense something we can’t see?
In this episode of Autonomous, I sit down with Shaul Mazor, CEO of Tracense, to explore a sense we rarely talk about in Physical AI: smell.
We’ve spent decades giving machines better eyes, ears and increasingly capable hands. Cameras, LiDAR, radar, microphones and new levels of robotic dexterity are changing how machines understand and interact with the physical world. But chemical sensing opens another layer entirely.
Tracense is developing technology that detects chemical traces in the air and turns them into information machines can understand. Today, that includes applications such as detecting explosives and hazardous materials. But our conversation goes much further.
What happens when chemical sensing becomes small and capable enough to live on robots, drones and infrastructure? Could machines eventually detect fires, leaks, contamination or changes in an environment before humans notice them? And what happens when AI begins combining smell with vision, sound and touch?
We also talk about Shaul’s journey through technology and smaller companies, his passion for taking ideas from concept to growth, and one of the hardest questions in deep tech: how do you know when an impressive technology is ready to become a real business?
A conversation about sensors, Physical AI, entrepreneurship, and whether the next generation of machines might understand the physical world in ways humans simply can’t.
10 Sept 2026
The Physical World Can’t Move at AI Speed | Peri Muttath (SouthUp)
What happens when AI allows a small team to build in months what once took years, but the product still has to exist in the physical world?
I’ve been trying to get Peri Muttath into the studio for almost a year. Every time I was in Israel, he seemed to be somewhere else. Every time he was available, I was abroad. We finally made it happen.
Peri has watched the technology industry evolve from many different seats. After years working across Israel’s innovation ecosystem, including the Israel Innovation Authority, he chose his next chapter at SouthUp: helping build new technology companies in the area near the Gaza border and contributing to the next generation of Physical AI and defense tech coming from there.
Our conversation went much further than startups.
We talked about why geography still matters when building physical technology, what the Russia-Ukraine war changed in the way defense technology develops, and how different this moment feels from the 1990s, when sometimes Hollywood seemed to imagine future technology faster than industry could build it.
We talked about humanoid robots entering our homes and others entering our workplaces. About which jobs machines may actually take. About AI giving small companies an opportunity to challenge incumbents with resources they could never have matched before.
But there is a catch.
Software can be updated tonight. A robot deployed thousands of kilometers away cannot.
Hardware still needs to be manufactured, shipped, tested, maintained and eventually replaced. And as everything around it accelerates, that physical reality may become one of the biggest challenges and opportunities, of the Physical AI era.
A conversation about technology, geography, robots, war, entrepreneurship and why this might be one of the most interesting moments in decades to build something physical.
Who has been a guest on Autonomous
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Artem Moroz
Naor Caspi
Audelia Boker
Israel Vaserlauf
Josh Metz
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
10 ratings
Contact Autonomous
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Host of Autonomous?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
