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CMU Startups Selected as UpPrize 2025 Semi-Finalists
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Robotics Startup Dash Bio Sprints to New Financing
Dash Bio has captured new venture funding after drawing pharmaceutical customers to a platform that uses robotics to crack a bottleneck that slows drug development.
Venture funding in robotics jumped last year, driven by interest in autonomous vehicles and robots built for specific industries, such as logistics, defense and security, agriculture and manufacturing, according to F-Prime, which invests in robotics and other industries.
Advances in areas such as computer simulation and 3-D printing are helping robotics entrepreneurs test ideas faster, said Craig Markovitz, who co-founded and was CEO of surgical-robotics company Blue Belt Technologies and is now a distinguished service professor of entrepreneurship at Carnegie Mellon University. He advises startups but isn’t involved with Dash Bio.
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VENTUREBRIDGE '25 FOUNDER SPOTLIGHT
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Welcome to the VentureBridge '25 Founders Spotlight!
Carnegie Mellon University’s VentureBridge program, an initiative of the Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship, supports CMU-alumni founded companies with capital, co-working space, access to mentorship and resources, and investor demo days across San Francisco, Pittsburgh, and New York City.
For the next few weeks, we will feature the founders of the '25 VentureBridge cohort.Join us in celebrating these amazing founders.
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| Take a Look Back at the First Five Founder Spotlights!
We've highlighted the first five alumni founders in the VentureBridge '25 cohort. Now let's take a second look at each of the founders before the next set of founder spotlights.
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| Support a CMU Health Startup!
HeartTech~Provider of Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator Discharge Tracking
HeartTech, founded by a group of CMU students including the primary founder Alexander Pichi, Tepper School of Business MBA, provides implantable cardioverter defibrillator discharge tracking on your wrist and quickly notifies your emergency contacts to reduce response time by greater than 50%.
If you or a loved one has survived a sudden cardiac arrest or have an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD), and would like to contribute to the survey, please visit the link below. Your input will be kept 'strictly confidential' and is valuable as the team continues to improve this important product!
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| Apply to the Forge AI Pitch Challenge by August 8!
Spotlighting Pennsylvania’s most promising AI and AI-adjacent startups, the Forge AI Pitch invites deployment-ready ventures to showcase their solutions live on stage. Six finalists will pitch their solutions in front of national investors, tech leaders and media—showcasing how Pennsylvania startups are delivering real-world AI deployment, while competing for $50K in funding.
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SkyDeck x CMU: Accelerator Virtual Info Session
Join us for a virtual info session hosted by Berkeley SkyDeck, UC Berkeley’s accelerator and global startup hub. SkyDeck combines the best of Silicon Valley acceleration with access to top-tier research, a vast advisor network, and $200K in funding for startups accepted into our flagship program. We’re looking to deepen our connection with CMU and share how your founders can get involved. Whether you're actively raising, building your MVP, or exploring accelerators, this is a great opportunity to learn how SkyDeck can support your journey.
The next application deadline is approaching soon. Register to attend and learn more!
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Come Join Swank Works on July 31!
The Swank Special Projects Team Invites the CMU Swartz Center and CMU/Pittsburgh entrepreneurship community to another friendly game of Pickleball on Thursday, July 31 from 7:00-8:30 am at Washington's Landing.
Email jaimel@swankco.com to RSVP!
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Date: Thursday, August 7, 2025
Time: 7:00 PM | PT
Location: 1525 Cortland Ave, San Francisco, CA 94110
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Date: Friday, August 8, 2025
Time: 3:00-7:00 PM | ET
Location: Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship
Welcome to the series of events with PITTSBURGH UNLOCKED, where you will learn from various community leaders and startups about their Startup Ecosystem. Pittsburgh Unlocked connects entrepreneurs with innovation centers and entrepreneurs across the region to increase knowledge and access.
Founders can apply to pitch for the Dell Business Partnerships Pittsburgh Demo Day.
Apply to pitch by July 25th!
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| Date: September 11-12, 2025
Location: Bakery Square and Hazelwood Green, Pittsburgh
The race for AI adoption, commercialization and market leadership is on. Join the world’s leading researchers, innovators and adopters and explore how AI is transforming healthcare, manufacturing, defense, finance, robotics and beyond!
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| CONNECTS/START SMART LAW SEMINARS
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| Can't make a CONNECTS? Watch on our YouTube channel.
See the full schedule and register for ALL of the seminars here!
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The CONNECTS/START SMART LAW Seminars have ended for the Spring semester and will resume in the Fall.
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The mission of 99 Tartans is to partner with the highest potential, early-stage CMU alumni companies and accelerate their success through access to capital and networks. Find out more.
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CMU ENTREPRENEURSHIP CLUBS
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| Click the images to see upcoming Club events!
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The CMU T&E has a jobs board, available for people across the community to share and seek new opportunities in the startup and entrepreneurship ecosystem. Find out more and visit the website here.
The CMU Tech & Entrepreneurship group aims to build a bridge between CMU students and alumni across the startup and tech continuum. With main chapters in NYC, Pittsburgh, and SF, we offer a range of in-person and online events and programming in the form of panels, workshops, founder/investor engagements, startup support, and socials to foster collaboration, innovation, and networking opportunities.
Join 7,000+ Tartans on our Slack workspace and mailing list for resources and updates on how you can engage in the community and CMU entrepreneurial ecosystem.
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The following companies help directly support our programming and entrepreneurs.
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| Pillsbury and Steptoe & Johnson, PLLC are holding office hours for the CMU Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship. The office hours are for any interested CMU graduate, undergraduate or alumni interested in entrepreneurship or connecting with members of the Swartz Center network.
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Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP
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Legal Services Weekly Virtual Office Hours with Matt Kirmayer
Mondays 1:00-3:00 PM ET (10-12 PT)
Matt Kirmayer of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP, is offering office hours for newly established startup and emerging companies. Matt specializes in representing technology startups and emerging growth companies, assisting with entity formation, fundraising and overall growth needs. Startup companies with a founder who is a CMU graduate, undergraduate or alumni is eligible to register for
an appointment. Complete the Signup Form for a 30 minute session by the Thursday prior to your
desired appointment.
Contact Daria Stokes or Sean Mawhinney for office hours outside of these regular hours.
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PwC
Our purpose—to build trust in society and solve important problems—is at the core of everything we do. It guides how we serve our clients, our people and the world. To help our clients build trust and deliver sustained outcomes, PwC provides professional services across two segments: Trust Solutions and Consulting Solutions. Within these segments we bring a range of capabilities to help organizations solve faster, solve more and realize more value. These capabilities include cloud and digital, deals, ESG, cybersecurity and privacy, governance/boards, risk, transformation, tax services and much more. Across our global network of more than 295,000 professionals in 156 countries, we are committed to advancing quality in everything we do.
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HOW TO WORK OUT OF THE SWARTZ CENTER
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Swartz Center Education and Resources
No matter what phase of the entrepreneurship cycle you're in, there are programs and resources at the Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship that will take your idea to the next level. Find out more.
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Project Olympus Incubator Program
Want more help with finding product/market fit, developing your business model, making connections and attracting funding? Project Olympus will team you up with a business coach to develop a personalized ‘roadmap. Find out more.
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COMMUNITY OPPORTUNITIES/RESOURCES
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FIND OUT WHAT OUR PARTNERS ARE DOING
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Have startup news or opportunities to share? Have questions about the Swartz Center Weekly Bulletin? Send news, opportunities or questions to Sonya Ford, Program Manager.
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Carnegie Mellon University Swartz Center For Entrepreneurship
5000 Forbes Avenue | Pittsburgh, PA 15213-3890 |
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