Mario Ljubičić
Episode · #790
PAMETNA HRVATSKA Mario Ljubičić, powered by Janaf
Guest Mario LjubičićHosted by Marijana MatkovićMay 3, 2026
Mario Ljubičić
About this episode
What you'll hear in this conversation
The robot introduces himself: "I am Rinno, the only robot from Imotski who didn't go to work in Germany." It's a line that immediately signals this isn't a typical story of AI development. Mario Ljubičić, Rinno's creator, spent a decade in self-funded, self-taught invention, welding prototypes under his bed and building his own production lines before arriving at a truly responsive, intelligent machine. This conversation explores the unconventional path of a young inventor who built his vision piece by piece, learning from every challenge, and ultimately creating a robot that understands its world—and even cracks a joke. You'll hear how personal tenacity can build an entirely new kind of technology, far from established labs and venture capital.
Insights from the conversation
What to take from this episode
01
Rinno introduces himself as "the only robot from Imotski who didn't go to work in Germany." Giving a machine a sense of place and a dry wit isn't a frivolous detail; it's a design choice that makes complex technology approachable and memorable. The personality is the product.
02
Mario Ljubičić spent ten years building his projects, starting by welding prototypes behind his house in the rain, often keeping his equipment stored under his bed. The most ambitious projects rarely begin with perfect conditions or external funding; they start with raw necessity and an inventor's willingness to work anywhere, with anything.
03
His early electric car prototype, which drove itself and was shown to government officials, never became commercially viable, teaching him that "I couldn't live off it." Prototyping is for learning, not just for selling. Sometimes the most valuable outcome of an early project isn't a market success, but the hard-won lessons that prepare you for the next, bigger idea.
04
To produce his electric bicycles, Mario built his own CNC machines and plastic injection molding equipment from scratch. When the tools you need are too expensive or unavailable, the fastest path to progress is often to build the tools yourself. Solving the meta-problem first can accelerate all subsequent development.
05
The direct precursor to Rinno was G-bot, a robotic arm Mario designed to weld bicycle frames in ten minutes, a task that took two hours manually. The path to building truly intelligent machines often starts with solving a concrete, repetitive production problem for yourself. Build the robot you need, and you'll learn how to build the robot you want.
06
Mario worked alone on Rinno for the past year because his previous team, from the bicycle company, couldn't align with the complexity of the new robotics project. Some visions are too singular or too far ahead for a team to grasp immediately. Pursuing a truly novel concept sometimes means stepping away and building the first iteration alone, driven by pure conviction.
07
He sold his previous bicycle company, in part, because he was "two hundred thousand euros in delayed and undelivered bikes" and had worked "sixty-eight hours non-stop, twice." Knowing when to exit a project, even a successful one, is as crucial as knowing when to start. Sometimes, a clean break, even at a cost, is the only way to preserve your energy and reputation for the next big thing.
08
The core idea for Rinno crystallized when Mario needed a "reliable worker" in his own production facility. The most profound technological innovations often stem from the most practical, personal frustrations. Build the solution to your own daily problem, and you might just build the future for everyone else.