Five Pittsburgh-based robotics companies have been accepted to the Robotics Factory’s Scale Residency program. These companies are ESTAT Actuation, Piximo, Thorne Baby, Thiopoly, and KEF Robotics.
The five companies will receive one year of access to the Robotics Factory’s space in the Tech Forge building, part of Lawrenceville’s “Robotics Row.” The program also provides companies with connections to potential grant funding and local manufacturers. The program offers access to advanced prototyping equipment, including a laser cutter, a water jet and a computer numerical control machine.
“The Scale program helps these companies grow from concept to commercialization,” Kevin Dowling, managing director of the Robotics Factory, said in a press release. “Our staff of engineers and entrepreneurs offer guidance to these budding startups, all of which have found a fit in their respective markets and further solidify this region as a global robotics hub.”
This program is one of three programs offered by the Robotics Factory. The other two programs, the Create Program and the Accelerate Program, are designed to support companies at earlier stages in development. The Create program matches professionals at the conceptualization stage and does not include residency, whereas The Accelerate Program provides residency and funding for early stage startups.
The companies selected work with robotics in a variety of capacities. ESTAT Actuation develops lightweight clutches and brakes, primarily for robots. Piximo is a small-scale delivery service where remote drivers operate small vehicles. Thorne Baby, a new company from 4moms co-founder Henry Thorne, developed a folding play yard that requires no assembly. Thiopoly seeks to create digital visibility for pharmacies. KEF Robotics develops software for self driving aircraft.
The Robotics Factory was started in 2023 as part of a $63 million grant awarded by the United States Economic Development Administration as part of the Build Back Better Regional Challenge. The money supplied on behalf of this grant is being used to fund the residency program. The grant is expected to last them for four years. The Robotics Factory is a division of Innovation Works, the Pittsburgh-based venture capital firm that is the most active early-stage investor in Pennsylvania and additionally owns the startup accelerator AlphaLab.
