Innovation Works
Robotics and AI startups ventured to Pittsburgh's Carnegie Mellon University for the 2025 AI & Robotics Venture Day, hosted by Innovation Works.
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Innovation Works
Robotics and AI startups ventured to Pittsburgh's Carnegie Mellon University for the 2025 AI & Robotics Venture Day, hosted by Innovation Works.
On Sept. 24 at Pittsburgh’s Carnegie Mellon University, 32 early-stage companies took the stage at AI & Robotics Venture Day, an exclusive investor showcase set for Sept. 24 at Carnegie Mellon University as part of CMU Startup Week.
Hosted by CMU and Innovation Works, the one-day event featured investor-ready pitches from founders in artificial intelligence, robotics, health tech, energy and other frontier sectors.
The showcase highlighted startups born and built in Southwestern Pennsylvania, including Aquatonomy, Wood Wide AI, Voiage and Leaficient, all of which were members of CMU’s VentureBridge Program and Innovation Works’ AlphaLab accelerator program.
Innovation Works said that AI & Robotics Venture Day offered investors an early look at breakthrough technologies with opportunities for one-on-one deal-room meetings and follow-up discussions.
“AI & Robotics Venture Day is the only platform of its kind in the country, and for the past seven years, it has connected investors with the next generation of deep tech founders,” said Ven Raju, president & CEO of Innovation Works. “Together with Carnegie Mellon University, we’ve helped startups raise more than $1 billion in follow-on capital, fueling not only the regional economy but also shaping industries around the world.”
The group said that the event underscores Pittsburgh’s rise as a national hub for deep tech investment, with $999 million in venture capital flowing into the region in 2024, led by AI and life sciences.
“Carnegie Mellon startups have already reshaped industries worldwide, creating more than $658 billion in value and raising more than $40 billion to fuel new ventures. But the true story is about what comes next,” said Meredith Meyer Grelli, managing director and interim executive director at CMU’s Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship. “AI & Robotics Venture Day and CMU Startup Week will shine a light on the founders who will carry forward Pittsburgh’s legacy of innovation, transforming global markets and improving lives.”
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