Behind the Wheel: Meet Renan Salles de Freitas

What made you decide to join wheel.me and what were your first impressions of the company and the team?

Over the past five years, I have been working extensively with robotics for intralogistics and closely following how quickly the market is evolving. wheel.me offers a smart and differentiated solution to several core challenges in this space, and I strongly believe the product has the potential to make a significant impact on the industry. That made the opportunity very compelling to me.

My first impression was that wheel.me is a robotics startup with a strong focus on high quality hardware. There is a clear emphasis on hardware excellence, including an automated production line for mecanum wheels. The onboarding process gave me a solid understanding of the business model, and the team welcomed me in a very warm, open, and professional way.

Can you tell us about your professional background and what drew you into robotics?

I have more than 15 years of experience in robotics, starting from my graduation in 2011. I began my career in Brazil developing robotic systems for the oil and gas industry, working on several research and development projects for companies such as Petrobras, Repsol, Equinor, and ESBR. These projects included rail guided robots, manipulators, and underwater systems.

In 2020, I joined Blue Ocean Robotics in Denmark, working on pharmaceutical and disinfection robots. In 2021, I moved to Japan to work with Rapyuta Robotics, focusing on intralogistics solutions.

Robotics attracted me because it is inherently multidisciplinary. It combines mechanics, electronics, software, physics, and mathematics. I have always been motivated by complex challenges and by understanding how things work at a fundamental level, so robotics was a natural fit.

What will you be working on and what part of the job excites you the most?

I joined wheel.me as a Senior Robotics Engineer, and in a startup environment that means working across a broad range of areas to ensure the product reaches a high level of quality and robustness. My main focus will be on software development, robot navigation, and system architecture.

I am particularly excited about working with new technology and advanced hardware in a multicultural environment. I also enjoy the fast paced nature of startups, where teams collaborate closely to develop and deploy innovative solutions.

What are you looking forward to achieving here?

I want to contribute meaningfully to the platform by applying my experience and technical skills. wheel.me already has strong hardware, a solid product strategy, and a significant market opportunity. My goal is to help elevate the software, system architecture, and navigation capabilities, and to deliver intuitive and reliable products that create real value for customers.

What motivates you and what do you enjoy outside of work?

What motivates me the most is the opportunity to learn something new every day.

Outside of work, I enjoy staying active and exercise daily, including running and going to the gym. I also like reading, especially fantasy, science fiction, and mystery novels. I enjoy good movies and watching sports as well.

Can you share something personal?

I am the only engineer in a family of lawyers.

While living in Japan, I used to travel enough each year to literally make a full circle around the globe by plane to visit my parents.