The ReForge Podcast

Automation, AI, and the American Worker

Conversations with the leaders reindustrializing America, from robotics and automation to policy, workforce development, and the future of U.S. manufacturing.

Available on

What You'll Hear

Robotics, automation, and industrial AI in the real world

Workforce realities: the American worker and the next generation of builders

Policy and infrastructure conversations that actually affect production

Factory modernization, throughput, uptime, safety, and ROI

Investing in the industrial base (operators, founders, and funders)

Our Focus

Four Pillars of American Reindustrialization

Automation & AI

Increase throughput, precision, and uptime

Manufacturing

Secure supply chains and scale U.S. production

Capital & Policy

Finance and enable industrial expansion

Workforce

Develop skilled talent for modern factories

Your Hosts

Colin Russ

Colin Russ is an industrial and energy operator who has spent over a decade in and around manufacturing performance, process improvement, and operations technology. Based in Erie, Pennsylvania, a Rust Belt manufacturing city, he is focused on rebuilding practical optimism for American production. On ReForge, Colin brings a ground-level view of what reindustrialization looks like in real plants and real communities.

Matthew Chang

Matthew Chang is the founder of Chang Robotics, an engineering and robotics firm that designs and commissions Factory 5.0 automation systems for real factories. He has led large-scale robotics and autonomous deployments in manufacturing, and he brings the mix most “future of manufacturing” content misses: firsthand execution, clear ROI thinking, and a bias toward what works on the factory floor.

Episodes

See All Episodes

53:23

Harnessing the Industrial Revival with Matthew Chang | ReForge 002

In this episode, Colin Russ sits down with Matthew Chang (Founder & CEO of Chang Robotics) to trace the path from building factories across five continents to launching a Christian VC and betting everything on American reindustrialization. If you care about manufacturing, robotics, automation, venture capital, or the future of American industry, this one is for you. What we cover - From ROTC to building factories on five continents before launching Chang Robotics - AI adoption inside a real engineering firm, and why an internal AI policy is coming - Why VC has a vintage problem and whether hyperscale data centers are already obsolete - The Give to Give philosophy: Christian VC, tithing carry, and keeping founders in control - Why Matt believes we're entering a 10-year manufacturing supercycle Chapters 0:00 Reindustrialization Kickoff 1:36 From ROTC to Factory Builder 15:12 Chang Robotics and AI Tools 27:25 AI Adoption and Policy 31:26 Give to Give Venture 47:57 Manufacturing Bull Run Ahead Find Matthew Chang: https://x.com/MatthewChang https://www.instagram.com/the.matthewchang https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewachang/ https://www.tiktok.com/@the.matthewchang Find Colin Russ: https://x.com/ThaaatColin https://www.linkedin.com/in/colinruss/ Find Chang Robotics: https://changrobotics.ai https://www.linkedin.com/company/changrobotics/ Follow ReForge LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-reforge-podcast/ X: https://x.com/thereforgepod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thereforgepod/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thereforgepod Website: https://thereforgepodcast.com/ Want to be a guest or partner? If you're building, funding, operating, or shaping the future of U.S. manufacturing, we'd love to hear from you. Email: inquiries@thereforgepodcast.com About ReForge ReForge is a podcast featuring conversations with the leaders reindustrializing America. This show exists to prove American reindustrialization is possible, pivotal, and pressing. Hosted by Matthew Chang and Colin Russ. Produced by Chang Robotics.

38:06

Introducing the ReForge Podcast (with Brian Keith) | ReForge

In this episode, Matthew Chang and Colin Russ, joined by Brian Keith, CMO of Chang Robotics, introduce the ReForge Podcast and lay out the core problem: nearly everyone talking about reindustrializing America has never actually built a factory. If you care about manufacturing, workforce, industrial policy, robotics, or the future of American communities, this one is for you. What we cover - Why the loudest voices on reindustrialization have zero factory experience and why that matters - Gen Z's surprising appetite for trades and hands-on work, and what it means for the labor pipeline - The case for distributed, community-rooted manufacturing over a single American "Shenzhen" - How modern factories (full of robotics, automation, and advanced software) are nothing like the assembly lines parents fear Chapters 0:00 Why Reindustrialize Now 1:03 Builders vs Armchair Experts 9:01 Hope and Policy for Factory Towns 18:15 Outsourcing and IP Reality 19:52 Faith and Local Industry 28:40 Modern Factories and Next Steps Hosts: Matthew Chang, Founder at Chang Robotics | Colin Russ, Co-Host Featured: Brian Keith, Chief Marketing Officer at Chang Robotics Find Chang Robotics: https://changrobotics.com Find Matthew Chang https://x.com/MatthewChang https://www.instagram.com/the.matthewchang https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewachang/ https://www.tiktok.com/@the.matthewchang Find Colin Russ https://x.com/ThaaatColin https://www.linkedin.com/in/colinruss/ Find Brian Keith http://linkedin.com/in/briankeithal/ https://x.com/briankeithai Follow ReForge LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-reforge-podcast/ X: https://x.com/thereforgepod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thereforgepod/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thereforgepod Website: https://thereforgepodcast.com/ Want to be a guest or partner? If you're building, funding, operating, or shaping the future of U.S. manufacturing, we'd love to hear from you. Email: inquiries@thereforgepodcast.com About ReForge ReForge is a podcast featuring conversations with the leaders reindustrializing America. This show exists to prove American reindustrialization is possible, pivotal, and pressing. Hosted by Matthew Chang and Colin Russ. Produced by Chang Robotics.

40:06

Inside Private Equity (w/ Paul Swaney) | Reforge Legacy

This episode was recorded prior to the official ReForge launch and has been republished as part of our legacy library.   In this episode, Matthew Chang sits down with Paul Swaney, CEO and Founder of The Swaney Group, to unpack what private equity looks like from the inside, the broken deal costs most people never hear about, and why 2026 might be the year industrial CapEx finally breaks loose. If you’re interested in workforce development and the macro-outlook for American reindustrialization, this one is for you. Guest  Paul Swaney, CEO and Founder, at The Swaney Group Find them here:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulwswaneyiii/ https://swaneygroup.com Follow ReForge   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-reforge-podcast/ X: https://x.com/thereforgepod  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thereforgepod/   TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thereforgepod Website: https://thereforgepodcast.com/   Want to be a guest or partner?   If you’re building, funding, operating, or shaping the future of U.S. manufacturing, we’d love to hear from you.   Email: inquiries@thereforgepodcast.com   About ReForge   ReForge is a podcast featuring conversations with the leaders reindustrializing America.   This show exists to prove American reindustrialization is possible, pivotal, and pressing.   Hosted by Matthew Chang.   Produced by Chang Robotics.

36:13

Pushing the Boundaries of Medical Tech (with Dr. SP Bowers) | ReForge Legacy

This episode was recorded prior to the official ReForge launch and has been republished as part of our legacy library. Guest: Dr. Steven (SP) Bowers, Founder of Suture Shield Find them here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sp-bowers/ | https://www.suture-shield.com/ Follow ReForge LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-reforge-podcast/ X: https://x.com/thereforgepod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thereforgepod/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thereforgepod Website: https://thereforgepodcast.com/ Want to be a guest or partner? If you’re building, funding, operating, or shaping the future of U.S. manufacturing, we’d love to hear from you. Email: inquiries@thereforgepodcast.com About ReForge ReForge is a podcast featuring conversations with the leaders reindustrializing America. This show exists to prove American reindustrialization is possible, pivotal, and pressing. Hosted by Matthew Chang. Produced by Chang Robotics.

Want to be a guest or partner?

If you're building, funding, operating, or shaping the future of U.S. manufacturing, we'd love to hear from you.