When Vancouver-based A&K Robotics envisioned their Cruz mobility pods gliding through airport terminals, helping passengers with mobility challenges navigate independently, they faced a classic startup challenge: how do you prove revolutionary technology can work at scale in one of the most complex, highly regulated environments imaginable?

The answer arrived in the form of the Integrated Marketplace program. Created by the Government of B.C. in partnership with PacifiCan and delivered by Innovate BC, the program expanded A&K Robotics’ collaboration with Vancouver International Airport (YVR)—not just as a customer, but as Canada's first official testbed for innovation. Though the program came with federal and provincial funding, A&K Robotics gained something far more valuable than capital: the opportunity to develop, test, and refine their technology in a real operational airport environment, with real passengers, under real conditions.

By September 2024, those first passenger trials began. Today, A&K Robotics is on a trajectory that would have been difficult for a B.C.-based company to achieve at this pace without the program's support—moving from concept to deployment while building an early reference customer and setting pace for the world’s airports to follow.

Airports can be challenging environments for everyone, but for passengers with mobility limitations, navigating long terminals, multiple levels, and sprawling amenities can transform travel from stressful to genuinely prohibitive. Traditional solutions—wheelchairs, escort services, motorized carts—help, but often require advance booking, limit independence, and can't always reach every restaurant, shop, or facility.

The Cruz mobility pods represent a fundamentally different approach. These autonomous vehicles use intelligent navigation systems to safely transport passengers wherever they need to go within the terminal. Proven through a pilot with 100 per cent destination accuracy and zero technical failures, the pods enable independent, on-demand travel while creating predictable, stress-free, and dignified experience passengers can trust.

"By introducing our micromobility robot pods at YVR, we are setting a new standard of accessibility for every traveler," explains Matthew Anderson, CEO of A&K Robotics. “Our vision for autonomous mobility in airports has been years in the making, but what programs like the Integrated Marketplace make possible is scale. By supporting a meaningful pilot deployment in a real operational environment, the program enabled us and YVR to move beyond small demonstrations and start to deploy at a scale that meaningfully supports real passenger operations. That kind of real-world deployment is essential for proving the operational value of autonomous mobility in airports.”

YVR serves as one of six testbeds in the Integrated Marketplace program. Airports make ideal test environments for emerging technology—they're controlled spaces with clear operational needs, existing infrastructure, high visibility, and a vested interest in adopting innovations that improve passenger experience.

For A&K Robotics, this partnership solved multiple problems simultaneously. They gained access to a real operational environment where they could test navigation systems, safety protocols, and user interfaces. They received structured feedback from actual passengers. And perhaps most importantly, they secured a high-profile reference customer that validated their technology for airports globally.

The Integrated Marketplace model does something traditional funding rarely achieves: it reduces risk for both the solution provider and the adopter. YVR gets support in testing cutting-edge accessibility solutions without bearing all the financial and operational risk. A&K Robotics gets the resources and real-world testing environment needed to prove their technology works safely in mission-critical infrastructure.

A&K’s pods were introduced at YVR through a phased implementation approach, reflecting this shared-risk model. As initial passenger trials progressed, A&K Robotics and YVR were able to gather feedback, refine operations, and gradually expand the pod fleet. Each phase built confidence while generatig evidence that other airports can rely on when considering adoption.

Brad McCannell, VP Access & Inclusion at the Rick Hansen Foundation, emphasizes the broader impact: "The Rick Hansen Foundation applauds the testing of new and innovative technology to advance accessibility for people of all ages and abilities."

What makes this story particularly compelling is the trajectory it has created for A&K Robotics. The company isn't just deploying technology at one airport—they've built a proven, reference-backed case for deployment at airports across Canada and internationally.

Since participating in the program, A&K Robotics has been fielding inquiries from airports in the United States, Europe, and Asia. In October 2025, they also launched a partnership with Aena, the Spanish government-owned airport operator that manages more than 40 airports worldwide. Through this collaboration, A&K deployed its first five Cruz mobility pods outside of Canada at Madrid–Barajas Airport, marking a significant milestone in the company’s global expansion.

With this momentum positioning A&K Robotics as a rising leader in autonomous accessibility solutions for airports, the company is now preparing to expand its Vancouver manufacturing operations to support growing demand from future customers.

Brenda Bailey, B.C.'s Minister of Finance (formerly Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation), notes: "Through the Integrated Marketplace, we're helping A&K Robotics to continue developing the tools they need to continue to grow, while supporting people living with mobility challenges access the travelling services they need."

The Honourable Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada, says: “Our investment in the Integrated Marketplace will highlight local innovation to visitors from around the globe and ensure that B.C. businesses have the resources they need to grow and contribute to one strong Canadian economy.”

That phrase—"prove its technology"—captures the essence of what testbeds provide. In sectors like aviation and airport operations where safety, reliability, and regulatory compliance are paramount, having proven your technology at a major international airport isn't just helpful, it's often essential to breaking into new markets.

The A&K Robotics story demonstrates how Integrated Marketplace functions as more than a funding program—it's an innovation adoption accelerator. By connecting B.C. technology companies with strategic industry partners who have real needs and operational environments, the program creates conditions for rapid advancement that traditional grants simply cannot match.

For A&K Robotics, the program delivered exactly what a launchpad should: the platform, support, and credibility to move from promising startup to proven solution provider. As Cruz mobility pods become a familiar sight in YVR's terminals—and begin appearing in airports beyond Canada— they're not just improving accessibility for passengers, they're opening a pathway for A&K Robotics to transform mobility in airports around the world.