robotic drone hovering in the air

Photo Credit: Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh’s Cutting Edge Robotics Industry

Some call it Roboburgh. Some call it Robotics Row. We call it the world’s largest robotics capital, and the intersection of the world’s best robotics talent. Pittsburgh robotics companies include the world’s biggest names in the industry, like Astrobotic, Aurora, Caterpillar, Seegrid and Smith+Nephew.

In 1989, Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) founded the world’s first doctoral program in robotics. Since then, more than 100 organizations continue to shape the robotics industry and develop some of the world’s largest commercial centers for autonomous mobile robots leading to Pittsburgh being known as the robotics capital of the world. 

CONTACT US

Mike Harding

Vice President, Business Investment

Phone: 412.281.4783 x3117 | m: 412.290.4082

“Pittsburgh is a bigger more capable, more influential robotics center than the world knows.”

joel reed, executive director of the pittsburgh robotics network
Photo Credit: IAM Robotics
– Joel Reed
Executive Director, Pittsburgh Robotics NetwORK (PRN)

THe Ecosystem

Pittsburgh is home to Carnegie Mellon University: an international leader in world-class robotics research and education, and computer science.  

female scientists and robotics industry experts reviewing technology, near earth
Photo Credit: Near Earth

1,054

Robotics Masters & PhD alumni

183,000

SF robotics facilities

1st Ever

AI undergrad program

65

Faculty Members

#1

AI grad degree program in the U.S.

$141M

Annual computer & information science R&D expenditures. (2019) 2nd highest in the U.S.

 

REsearch & Development

robot and drone hovering in the carnegie mellon university academic and private research
Photo Credit: Carnegie Mellon University

291

IT patents awarded for innovation, including in robotics (2018) 

20+

academic & private research centers

National Robotics Engineering Center (NREC)

operates within the CMU Robotics Institute, partners with government and industry clients to develop and commercialize robotic systems solutions while educating K-12 and college students through the Robotics Academy.  

Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing Institute (ARM)

a public/private partnership and leading national collaborative in automation and robotics technology and education won a 2020 RBR50 Robotics Innovation award. 

Human Engineering Research Laboratories (HERL)

of the University of Pittsburgh, improves the mobility and function of people with disabilities through engineering in clinical research and medical rehabilitation.  

Talent

students, computer programmers in class reviewing computer technology for robotics-related project

79

Universities & post-secondary CTE institutions

5,000+

Annual grads in tech-related fields; 2,000+ grads annually with a master’s degree or higher.

21%

increase in the tech talent pool since 2013 

36,000

Computer programmers, developers, and administrators; average wages of $83,000*  

2,210

Electrical engineers; average wage of $97,300*

3,760

Mechanical Engineers; average wage of $90,910*

*Employee numbers and average wages in Robotics-related positions based on 2018 data.

 

StartUp
Culture

Ecosystem

Robust support from accelerators, educational organizations & ecosystem leaders  

$3.3 Billion

VC & PE investment in regional robotics since 2012

12+

Organizations support the Pittsburgh robotics ecosystem, spearheaded by the Pittsburgh Robotics Network, founded in 2018 by leading local companies with the mission of accelerating robotics and artificial intelligence adoption, and connecting Pittsburgh with worldwide robotics communities.  

Global Connections

 

Startup Genome logo

Startup Genome, a global leader in ecosystem research, spotlights the Pittsburgh startup ecosystem as part of its network of 280+ cities. In 2021, Pittsburgh is named the #23 emerging ecosystem globally, with its robotics, advanced manufacturing, life sciences, and cleantech industries highlighted.  

Key Investments

Jan 2017 Advanced Robotics Manufacturing Institute

×
$46,000,000 Capital Investment

Founded by CMU in 2017 and received $250M in funding to establish itself as an independent nonprofit to lead robotics innovation and expertise to accelerate growth in Pittsburgh.

Jan 2017 Advanced Robotics Manufacturing Institute

Aug 2017 Aptiv

×
100 New Jobs

Self-driving vehicle company – formerly Delphi Automotive PLC – with a local team of 200 employees focusing on the software and hardware of the company’s autonomous vehicles. Recently announced a $4B partnership with Hyundai Motor Group.

Aug 2017 Aptiv

Mar 2018 Aurora Innovation

×
200 New Jobs

Self-driving car startup – founded by Google and Tesla alumni – that has raised more than $530M in funding, partnered with Hyundai and Fiat Chrysler, and recently expanded into Texas to accelerate the development of self-driving trucks.

Mar 2018 Aurora Innovation

May 2018 Bossa Nova Robotics

×
40 New Jobs

Tech company behind the autonomous robots that support the world’s largest retailers. Recently doubled its Strip District space to accommodate an eventual 50% increase in staff. Recently announced that its robots will be in 1,000 Walmart stores by the end of 2020.

May 2018 Bossa Nova Robotics

Jun 2018 Agility Robotics

×

Oregon-based company that develops robots that work alongside people in warehouses expands in Pittsburgh in a former 45,000 SF warehouse building. The expansion comes on the heels of the company receiving an $8 million venture funding round.

Jun 2018 Agility Robotics

Aug 2018 Gecko Robotics

×
105 New Jobs

Developer and operator of wall-climbing, infrastructure inspecting robots. Relocated in Pittsburgh in 2015 and landed $40M in funding to build out its safety and infrastructure monitoring services. Plans to hire 120 new employees.

Aug 2018 Gecko Robotics

Oct 2018 IAM Robotics

×
61 New Jobs

Warehouse robotics startup spun out of CMU announced plans to expand in the Strip District, moving into a 30,000-square-foot facility – five times larger than its current space – with a headquarter offices, a showcase center and manufacturing space.

Oct 2018 IAM Robotics

Mar 2019 Locomation

×

Trucking tech platform that combines autonomy and driver augmentation. Its technology will allow a person to drive a lead truck while a follower truck operates in tandem autonomously.

Mar 2019 Locomation

Oct 2019 Honeywell Robotics

×

Honeywell announced the spinout in 2019 with plans to establish an advanced technology center of excellence focused on robotics and AI in Pittsburgh. Leased a 25,000-square-foot space in the Strip District with plans to hire engineers and designers.

Oct 2019 Honeywell Robotics

Dec 2019 Astrobotic

×
140 New Jobs
$6,500,000 Capital Investment

Lunar tech company that went from unfamiliar to globally realized after landing a $200M contract to deliver a NASA moon rover in 2023. They’re now investing $6.5M to relocate to 47,000-square-foot building on the North Shore and create 95 new jobs.

Dec 2019 Astrobotic

Dec 2019 Seegrid

×
75 to 100 New Jobs

Leader in self-driving industrial vehicles raised $25 million in a round of equity funding. Expanded its teams by nearly 40% in 2020 with plans to continue to grow.

Dec 2019 Seegrid

Jan 2020 Denso

×

Japan-based automotive components manufacturer announced the opening of its Pittsburgh Innovation Lab, which will focus on autonomous driving research and development. The facility will be located in Pittsburgh’s Robotics Row.

Jan 2020 Denso

Aug 2020 Motional

×

Formed as a joint venture between Hyundai Motor Group and Aptiv, Motional aims to commercialize an autonomous platform for use in autonomous vehicle fleet operations and by automotive manufacturers. The company is valued at $4 billion.

Aug 2020 Motional

Jul 2021 Waymo

×

Google’s former self-driving car project, Waymo, is expanding its presence in the eastern U.S. They will co-locate in Google’s space in Bakery Square and expect to hire about 20 engineers by year end.

Jul 2021 Waymo

Oct 2021 Thoro.ai

×

A spinoff of Carnegie Robotics, Thoro.ai aims to commercialize its Autonomous Mobile Robotics technology for the cleaning and disinfection equipment industry. The autonomous robots are deployed at the Pittsburgh International Airport cleaning the floors in an ultra-efficient manner.

Oct 2021 Thoro.ai

Jul 2022 Michelin DDI

×

French tire manufacturer Michelin acquired Pittsburgh-based RoadBotics Inc. to expand its North American presence and strengthen its expertise in AI. Michelin DDI will now be able to combine knowledge of tire/vehicle uses, driving behavior analysis, and computer vision expertise to support smarter and safer mobility.

Jul 2022 Michelin DDI

Oct 2022 Mapless AI

×

Mapless AI is bringing its tech to Pittsburgh International Airport and testing an autonomous car-hailing service through the Allegheny County Airport Authority’s xBridge program, which brings early-stage tech companies to the region to conduct testing at the airport.

Oct 2022 Mapless AI

SUCCESS OF PITTSBURGH Robotics COMPANIES

 

3rd Best City in U.S.

to start a robotics company (Robotics Business Review) with 100+ existing companies spanning 18 industry verticals.   

71 Pittsburgh robotics company expansions

have led to 2,673 jobs impacted, totaling 4,670 estimated employment in the industry. (2014 – 2019)

Robotic surgery room
SMITH+NEPHEW

London-based medical tech company Smith+Nephew located the R&D headquarters of its robotics business to “Robotics Row” in Pittsburgh’s Strip District.

The 165-year-old company first came to Pittsburgh in 2016, and it has tripled the initial staff it employed here since then, now at more than 180 local full-time workers. It focuses on medical training and surgical robotic platforms 

e-commerce order filfillment robot, robotics row, iam robotics
Photo Credit: IAM Robotics
Iam Robotics

Relocating HQ and opening a Showcase Innovation Center in a 30,000-SF facility in Robotics Row to feature the company’s e-commerce order fulfillment robots.  

 

One Pager

Robotics One Pager

Robotics PDF

 

Contact Us

Mike Harding
Vice President, Business Investment