Vessel acquires Robot Sales Club in first robotics bet on Ohio
What's the deal? Vessel Investment Group has acquired Robot Sales ClubDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → (RSC), a Columbus-based sales agency built for robotics and automation startups. It marks Vessel's first move into the sector. Terms were not disclosed.
What does RSC do? Founded in 2023 by Max Joseph and Ryan Tanaka, RSC embeds fractional sales operators into clients' growth teams, handling lead generation, outbound sales, and go-to-market strategy. That spares early robotics firms the cost of a full-time sales team before revenue supports one.
Why the fit? RSC runs three lines: fractional sales support, a podcast, and a professional community connecting founders and operators. That community layer drew Vessel in.
"When we sat down and really learned of the impact that RSC had in the robotics community, we were fully aligned on the opportunity," said Corey Myers, senior partner and chief strategy officer at Vessel. "This is our first big bet to make Ohio and the Midwest a robotics hub."
What's the endgame? Both firms want to make Ohio and the wider Midwest a hub for commercial robotics. Columbus sits within reach of more than 150 million American end users and close to major manufacturers and logistics companies.
What changes for RSC? The deal brings capital, back-office support, enterprise relationships, and access to Vessel's operating platform across talent, finance, and product. RSC has five employees and expects to triple its headcount.
Where's the expansion? As part of that growth, RSC plans to add both domestic roles and a European team. The move extends its fractional sales model beyond the US market where its client base sits.
"We have a deep passion to help companies scale and build lifelong partnerships," said Joseph. "Being a part of the Vessel family will allow us to scale and reach the dreams Ryan and I had from day one."
The signal: The commercial robotics market is expanding quickly, but the specialised sales talent needed to close enterprise deals hasn't kept pace. Vessel is betting demand for fractional expertise — and for a Midwest robotics corridor — will only grow.
Read more: Ohio Tech News
