Pittsburgh, PA – September 12, 2023 – The Robotics Factory, an initiative dedicated to creating, accelerating, and growing robotics companies in the Pittsburgh region, is excited to announce that applications are now open for their new Scale Residency Program. This opportunity is suited to both early-stage startups and existing companies looking to take their robotics innovations from concept to commercialization through expert-guided design, prototyping, testing and manufacturing. Selected applicants will gain one-year access to the Robotics Factory's state-of-the-art amenities designed to take their products to market.

‍"This program offers startups and established companies an opportunity to leverage advanced manufacturing capabilities and expert resources to help  further production and commercialization efforts,” said Ven Raju, President and CEO of Innovation Works. “From rapid prototyping to support resources for production at scale, the program enables participants to fast track the development lifecycle."

The Scale Residency Program offers access to advanced prototyping equipment, including a water jet, laser cutter, and CNC machine. It also provides specialized training and prototyping support, the tools and resources necessary to rapidly prototype and test, and flexible co-working space within a vibrant community of startups, mentors, funders, and industry partners.

Managed by Innovation Works and supported by the Pittsburgh Robotics Network, the Scale Residency Program is funded through a $63 million Build Back Better Regional Challenge grant to the Southwestern Pennsylvania New Economy Collaborative.

Jenn Apicella, Interim Executive Director of the Pittsburgh Robotics Network, points out that the Scale Residency Program will help participating companies stand out amongst their peers, saying "As commercial adoption of automation technologies continues to rise across industries, robotics companies have an increased need to design with manufacturing in mind. This valuable program will help companies prepare for increased production and position them to meet the demands of the market."

The application window for this pilot Scale Residency Program closes on Friday, October 6th, 2023. Interested candidates can learn more about the program at https://www.roboticsfactory.org/scale-program and apply at https://bit.ly/RFScaleApply.

The Robotics Factory's three-pronged approach—Create, Accelerate, Scale—ensures comprehensive support to innovators at every stage. The Create Program focuses on ideation through workshops involving technology experts, researchers, and industry professionals. The Accelerate Program offers intensive mentorship to pre-seed startups. The Scale Program is designed to develop production-ready products by providing industry-leading expertise in product prototyping and services. The Robotics Factory has just moved into their new location, strategically located in the heart of Pittsburgh’s “Robotics Row,” a high-density area of robotics organizations collaborating across various industries.