AI & Robotics Ventures: Expanding Deep Tech Solutions for a Sustainable Future

Abstract

The case takes place during March 2024, as Thana Slanvetpan, General Manager of AI & Robotics (ARV), was reassessing the deep tech company’s sustainability impact, both within and beyond its parent company, PTTEP Public Co. Ltd., Thailand’s largest energy conglomerate and the third largest company listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET). The case delves into the strategic dilemma facing ARV as it considers expansion into one or more of non-exploration & petroleum sectors, namely, Agriculture and Farming, Energy, Environmental Conservation and Climate Technology, Healthcare, Manufacturing and Industrial Automation, Smart Cities and Infrastructure, and Tourism and Hospitality. Each sector presents unique opportunities for sustainable impact and poses significant challenges in estimating market value, given the nascent state of deep tech applications and the variable maturity of innovation ecosystems in emerging markets. This case prompts a critical analysis of how ARV can sustainably contribute to Thailand’s technological and economic advancement while creating value for stakeholders.