The weather forecast for Las Vegas was far from promising, prompting a decision from Matt Puchalski, CEO and founder of YC-backed Bucket Robotics. Instead of relying on individual team members to transport booth components for the 2026 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Puchalski opted to rent a Hyundai Santa Fe and make the drive himself.
“It was… it was tight,” he joked about the experience, which involved a lengthy 12-hour journey in rain. Despite the challenges, Puchalski and his equipment arrived safely in Las Vegas, marking the debut of Bucket Robotics at the renowned tech expo.
Located in the automotive-centric West Hall, Bucket Robotics was among the thousands of exhibitors vying for attention in an overwhelming sea of technology and innovation. Puchalski remained undeterred, affirming that the effort to attend CES was worthwhile.
His background as an engineer, having spent nearly a decade working with autonomous vehicles at prestigious companies such as Uber, Argo AI, and Ford’s Latitude AI, provided him with essential industry connections. These relationships became invaluable as he encountered familiar faces throughout the week.
At various networking events, Puchalski engaged in discussions that ranged from technical quality to the nuances of manufacturing. On one occasion, he was spotted at breakfast, strategizing with sales associate Max Joseph about upcoming presentations.
Bucket Robotics emerged from Y Combinator’s Spring 2024 batch, focusing on advanced vision systems designed for quality inspections, particularly of surfaces. Puchalski explained that their technology aims to streamline an often-tedious process traditionally handled by workers, which he humorously attributed to “dudes in Wisconsin.” The company aims to contribute to the broader goal of enhancing domestic manufacturing processes.
One practical application of their technology involves inspecting car door handles, components that require consistent quality since they are frequently touched by consumers. Puchalski noted that while ensuring a flawless surface presents challenges—such as checking for the right color or spotting scuff marks—Bucket Robotics seeks to automate these quality checks.
The company’s approach leverages CAD files of parts to simulate various defects, enabling their software to quickly identify quality issues on production lines without the need for extensive manual data labeling. This efficiency is a significant advantage, as Puchalski indicated that their models can be deployed rapidly and adapt to changing products and production environments. Importantly, Bucket Robotics can integrate its solutions into existing production setups without necessitating new hardware, which has attracted attention from sectors such as automotive and defense.
As the exhibition kicked off, the first two hours proved to be intensely engaging, with attendees inquiring about their technology and picking up branded stickers. Over the course of the week, Puchalski experienced sustained interest and had meaningful discussions with professionals from manufacturing and automation sectors. Following the event, he reported being busy with follow-up communications with potential customers and investors.
Attending CES posed its unique challenges, but Bucket Robotics emerged ready to take on the next phase: building a business, scaling operations, securing funding, and finalizing commercial partnerships. Puchalski reassured stakeholders that his company’s mission was not to undermine the work of existing inspectors. He emphasized that while automation can assist with quality checks, the expertise of humans—especially the ability to determine root causes of defects—remains invaluable. He also pointed out that the industry has been striving to automate surface inspections for decades, indicating the significance of their efforts in the broader context.
