The Robotics Factory project has announced it will locate in the Tech Forge building in Pittsburgh’s Lawrenceville area.
The Robotics Factory is part of the $63 million Build Back Better Regional Challenge grant awarded by the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) to the Southwestern Pennsylvania New Economy Collaborative.
The project is a set of inter-related programs designed to create, accelerate and scale robotics startups in the Pittsburgh region. It’s led by Innovation Works an investor and supporter of early-stage companies, with support from the Pittsburgh Robotics Network and Southwestern Pennsylvania New Economy Collaborative, a coalition of the region’s leading university, philanthropic, and private sector partners.
The Tech Forge location will provide a collaborative physical space for emerging companies and provide some critical manufacturing capabilities to help these companies effectively scale.
The Robotics Factory is comprised of three programs: the Create program, which brings together entrepreneurs, technology experts, researchers and industry professionals to address industry challenges through workshops; the Accelerate program, which supports up to six pre-seed robotics startups with funding, mentorship and resources in a seven-month intensive program; and the Scale program provides expertise in product prototypes and services to help startups develop production-ready products using the Robotics Factory’s manufacturing resources.
The first cohort of six companies chosen to participate in the Accelerate program will re-locate to the Lawrenceville location as soon as feasible. The new space will serve as a designated home for the Scale program. The Scale program offers expertise in product prototyping and services, facilitating the creation of production-ready products. Providing in-house design for manufacturing, supply chain management, prototyping support, and access to the region’s comprehensive manufacturing resources.
“We conducted a thorough site identification and selection process, evaluating sites on the basis of a range of parameters,” said Ven Raju, President & CEO of Innovation Works, in a release. “The Lawrenceville site best aligns with the overarching strategic goals of the Build Back Better regional challenge grant while meeting functional, operational and budgetary requirements.”
Jenn Apicella, Interim Executive Director of the Pittsburgh Robotics Network, said the new location in what is referred to as “Robotics Row,” has a high density of robotics businesses working across multiple industries.
“The Robotics Factory will serve as the epicenter for innovation and commercial business growth for companies and startups developing autonomous and robotic solutions. Its strategic location will foster unparalleled collaboration opportunities, leading to new and impactful commercialized industry use and adoption,” said Apicella.
Pittsburgh has garnered global recognition as a hot spot for leadership and expertise in robotics. The EDA grant funds five regional projects, including the Robotics Factory.
“Pittsburgh’s transformation from an industrial powerhouse to a 21st century technology hub is a testament to the region’s incredible talent, world renowned research institutions, and a robust entrepreneurial ecosystem,” Raju said. “Over the course of the last four decades, the region’s robotics cluster has been at the forefront of this transformation. The Robotics Factory in its new home will serve as a centrally located community resource to support robotics companies from inception to scale, catalyzing job growth and energizing the regional economy.”
