Matt Lopez: The Human Behind the Robots
Leading up to Street Fight LIVE 2025, we have been getting up close and personal with some of our speakers, encouraging them to share stories of how they found themselves in the MULO (multi-location) ecosystem. How will one of our speakers, Pepper, get to Microsoft’s headquarters? Not via Uber. But he does have a human guide and driver. His name is Matt Lopez of RobotLAB Inc.
Just as you can find different business equipment brands or cars at retail and wholesale businesses, MULO (multi-location) business operators can now find a full range of robots via a one-stop shop.
RobotLAB can be viewed as a wholesaler of a variety of automated “helpers” and has regional distribution outposts. So they are, like many of our Street Fight community members, a national franchise, delivering powerful national brand concepts and customer service at a local level.
Why did you choose to build a career in this industry?
“At RobotLAB, we make advanced robotics easy for businesses to adopt and put to work. From cleaning to delivery to customer service and beyond, we help identify the right solution for each customer and keep it running smoothly. I’ve chosen to build out the Los Angeles area location because I think there’s a huge opportunity to help businesses in my area become more efficient.”
What do you consider your proudest robot success story? Biggest glitch and how you overcame it?
“Success: I was able to broker a deal for one of our robots to be on a very popular TV show that will be coming out in about a month. That was a very fun project to work on with my team.
Biggest glitch: Everyday is a learning experience. I set up an onsite trial for a large FEC. Once we were onsite and deployed the robot, we came to the conclusion that we had a better more efficient solution that what we should have offered. The great thing about working with RobotLAB is we have multiple different manufacturers and robots that we can implement. We were able to pivot and bring in the correct solution for the business and ended up having a very happy client.”
What are the keys to encouraging people to working “hand in hand” with robots and overcome their fears of job loss?
“The reality is that robots have very specialized skills and should be seen as tools for enhancing efficiency, not for replacing people. For example, in restaurants, delivery robots can handle the repetitive task of carrying food from the kitchen to the dining room. That frees waiters to spend more time with guests, provide faster service, and ultimately manage more tables. This can often mean more tips for the waiters. Far from taking jobs, the robots actually help staff earn more while improving the customer experience.”
What do you see robots doing within the next five years?
“I think we’ll see robots expand into even more industries where they can help improve efficiency. At RobotLAB, we’re already introducing solutions for security, firefighting, and other specialized use cases. And, within the next five years, I expect humanoid robots, which many companies are racing to perfect, to finally be ready for mainstream adoption.”
What do YOU do to remain human when you’re not working?
“I try to show gratitude for my human body by taking care of it and staying active. And, I love exploring all the amazing food options in Los Angeles. After all, tasting delicious food is one of the great privileges humans will enjoy over robots for the foreseeable future.”
Register now to meet Matt Lopez and Pepper at Street Fight LIVE 2025 , September 3oth in Los Angeles. We hope to see you there!
