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Robotics firms have a chance to acquire as much as $100,000 of funding and take part in a six-month program geared towards serving to them with getting began and scaling. The Robotics Manufacturing unit, an initiative devoted to creating, accelerating, and scaling Pittsburgh-area startups, has opened functions for its Speed up Program’s second cohort. 

The worldwide robotics market is anticipated to develop to greater than $230 billion by 2030, with key sectors together with logistics, healthcare, and agriculture, mentioned the Robotics Manufacturing unit. Pittsburgh is a worldwide hub for innovation, with greater than 140 robotics organizations throughout 18 vertical markets. The Robotics Manufacturing unit Speed up Program goals to foster the following era of robotics startups within the space. 

“The inaugural cohort of the Robotics Manufacturing unit included a various set of firms tackling a wide selection of issues together with underwater surveillance, pc imaginative and prescient, cell processing, bicycle security, and extra,” mentioned Ven Raju, president and CEO of Innovation Works, in a launch.

“The businesses benefited from value-added programming and hands-on assist inside key areas equivalent to product growth, buyer discovery, defining and effectuating go-to-market technique, and fundraising,” he mentioned. “Additional, the businesses gained entry to key networks equivalent to mentor, buyer, and investor networks, that are crucial in serving to to launch and scale a enterprise. ” 

Speed up Program’s first cohort finds success

Aquatonomy, a startup that focuses on underwater intelligence by way of autonomous robots, participated within the Robotics Manufacturing unit’s first cohort. Through the program, Aquatonomy validated its goal market by way of in depth buyer interviews, website visits, and market analysis. This led to a profitable pilot scheduled for later this yr. 

“The Robotics Manufacturing unit is a perfect accelerator that propels Aquatonomy on our journey,” famous Dr. Xiaoyu Kaess, co-founder of Aquatonomy. “Now we have realized a lot not solely by way of workshops on various matters thoughtfully curated and provided by specialists, but additionally by way of occasion alternatives made accessible to us, the place we met mentors, buyers, clients, media, authorities officers, and extra.”

“The mentors and program employees assist us in each approach we want with out reservation,” she mentioned. “We wouldn’t have made a lot progress and constructed so many significant connections prior to now six months with out the Robotics Manufacturing unit.”

The Aquatonomy workforce additionally made progress in product growth whereas collaborating in this system. The corporate efficiently constructed and examined your entire {hardware} and software program methods for its underwater robotic. This progress led to a profitable product demonstration that highlighted the robotic’s talents to gather knowledge from the depths of an underwater lake flooring. 

Different firms in this system’s first cohort embrace Cell X Applied sciences, Grasp Robotics, Leaficient, Velo AI, and Voaige. 

Aquatonomy participated within the Robotics Manufacturing unit Speed up Program’s first cohort. | Supply: Robotics Manufacturing unit

What to anticipate within the Robotics Manufacturing unit Speed up Program

The Robotics Manufacturing unit Speed up Program will span six months. Throughout this time, chosen startups will transfer into the Robotics Manufacturing unit’s co-working house. They’ll have entry to manufacturing and robotics sources, together with a production-grade prototype scale store. Members can even obtain teaching and assist tailor-made to their particular enterprise wants. 

As well as, they may have entry to mentorship alternatives with profitable robotics executives throughout the Pittsburgh Robotics Community (PRN). Functions for the second cohort are open by way of Feb. 29, 2024. 

“Our workforce offered the inaugural cohort over 500 hours of one-on-one teaching, 18 ability growth workshops, and 250 extra hours of teaching from our skilled mentors,” mentioned Kevin Dowling, managing director of the Robotics Manufacturing unit and {Hardware} for Innovation Works. “In case you space founder on the lookout for enterprise assist to construct your robotics startup, we’re right here for you.”

The Robotics Manufacturing unit is managed by Innovation Works (IW) and supported by the PRN. This system is funded by way of a $63 million Construct Again Higher Regional Problem grant to the Southwestern Pennsylvania New Economic system Collaborative.