Jennifer Apicella, Executive Director of the Pittsburgh Robotics Network, shares insights into Pittsburgh's evolution as a robotics hub over 40 years. She highlights how the city's unique strengths have fostered innovation without imitating Silicon Valley. The discussion covers the importance of community collaboration, the role of education, and how successful commercialization drives technological advancement. Apicella also touches on the significance of engaging local talent and resources in building a thriving robotics ecosystem.
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insights INSIGHT
Dense Robotics Ecosystem
Pittsburgh hosts over 125 robotics companies and ~8,000 related jobs, creating a dense, diverse ecosystem.
That concentration makes Pittsburgh one of three U.S. leaders in robotics alongside Boston and San Francisco.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Community-Built Origin
The Pittsburgh Robotics Network began organically when local robotics firms decided to form a formal nonprofit around 2015–2017.
Jennifer joined after leaders secured funding to build programs and scale community efforts.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Measure What Matters Locally
Drive regional economic development by creating more companies, attracting investment, and growing jobs.
Help startups find customers and the right type of investors who understand deep tech sales cycles.
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Pittsburgh’s success in the robotics space didn’t happen overnight. It’s been over 40 years in the making, with education, business, and new innovations all coming together to make the city one of the big robotics hubs alongside Boston and San Francisco.
The Pittsburgh Robotics Network has been a key player in that success, giving individuals, companies, and universities the opportunity to collaborate on projects and business opportunities. Executive Director, Jennifer Apicella, joins us on the podcast to give us a background on Pittsburgh’s industry and to share her take on the commercialization of robotics and automation.
A key theme in this episode is how you don’t have to replicate the success of the big cities. Every place is different, and part of Pittsburgh’s success has been to lean into its unique strengths and industry challenges. In other words, you don’t need your city to become the next Silicon Valley to be successful.
In this episode, find out:
A recap of the great bars, restaurants and bowling alleys we explored around Pittsburgh
Jennifer explains what the Pittsburgh Robotics Network does and how it’s helping to support new technology and industry growth
Some background on why the Pittsburgh Robotics Network was started and built by the community it now represents
How the group measures success and why commercialization is key to developing technologies that solve real problems
How other cities and regions can learn from what Pittsburgh has done without needing to copy the same formula
The challenges of working in a non-profit in a for-profit industry and how Jennifer balances different priorities
Jennifer’s advice for becoming a better part of the local technology community
Why the key to commercialization is about looking beyond the tech and focusing instead on problems
Plans and predictions for Pittsburgh’s industry in the next five years
"I think it's just really important that you stop being obsessed with the technology... rather than being inspired by the technology, be inspired by the problem that it's solving."
“Like any kind of industrial revolution, this is going to be largely highly disruptive to all humans. Society is going to change. People are going to change, businesses are going to change. Are you on the right side of that change?”
“Commercialization is key. The world is sitting by waiting to see what robotics and autonomy look like at scale. How do you take something and not need it to be custom-built?”
Links & mentions:
Pittsburgh Robotics Network, a community that connects more than 125 advanced technology companies across multiple industries
Industrial Solutions Network, an interconnected group of manufacturing technology companies working on a common mission
Grapperia Pittsburgh, a cocktail bar with a huge selection of speciality cocktails, grappa and amari
Umami Izakaya, a Japanese restaurant and bar serving modern Asian cuisine in Pittsburgh
Arsenal Bowl, originally Arsenal Lanes, this bowling alley combines unique décor with live music and bowling
Make sure to visit http://manufacturinghappyhour.com for detailed show notes and a full list of resources mentioned in this episode. Stay Innovative, Stay Thirsty.
Manufacturing Happy Hour