Robotics Startup with a Manager-Less and Division-Less Structure Using LeSS

Talk by Kosuke Niwano and Aki Enomoto
LeSS Conference Amsterdam 2026

How do you build an innovative robotics product in a startup without traditional management layers or divisions?

In this talk, Kosuke Niwano and Aki Enomoto share the story behind LOVOT, a home robot designed not to perform tasks for humans, but to be welcomed as part of the family. They explore how Groove X developed this highly complex product by combining hardware, software, cloud services, customer support, and production into one whole product ecosystem.

To support this kind of innovation, the company adopted LeSS and experimented with a manager-less, division-less structure designed to increase transparency, speed up feedback cycles, and foster stronger collaboration across the organization.

Topics covered in this talk

• Why LeSS was chosen for a highly complex robotics product
• How hardware and software development were integrated incrementally
• The difference between prototyping and mass production phases
• Using one unified product backlog to improve transparency and alignment
• How a flat, self-managing structure supported innovation
• Creating a strong culture through shared spaces, shared activities, and team ownership
• Experiments in automation, customer feedback, hiring, and organizational support

Kosuke and Aki also share practical examples from Groove X, including automated hardware testing, canary releases, engineers working directly with customers, team-based hiring decisions, and the role of “gardeners” — a support group helping teams resolve issues while aiming to make itself unnecessary over time.

This session is especially relevant for people working in hardware-software environments, robotics, startups, and product organizations looking for ways to combine innovation, self-management, and whole-product thinking.

LeSS Conference Amsterdam 2026
https://less.works