{"id":26241,"date":"2025-11-06T02:38:21","date_gmt":"2025-11-06T02:38:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/26241\/"},"modified":"2025-11-06T02:38:21","modified_gmt":"2025-11-06T02:38:21","slug":"pittsburgh-discovery-day-2025-highlights-recaps","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/26241\/","title":{"rendered":"Pittsburgh Discovery Day 2025 highlights & recaps"},"content":{"rendered":"

Robotics and AI\u00a0Discovery Day\u00a02025 kicks off today, with what leaders say will be its biggest year yet. <\/p>\n

The one-day marathon of panels and breakout sessions during Pittsburgh Tech Week<\/a> aims to show off the Pittsburgh ecosystem to policymakers, investors and tech leaders from major companies and startups alike. <\/p>\n

It\u2019ll be a chance to get up close to the latest tech launches, like one of autonomous vehicle company Aurora\u2019s trucks, with more than 200 exhibitors expected to present for 10,000 attendees. <\/p>\n

Miss out on registration, or can\u2019t make it to every forum? Refresh this post for updates and new insights live from Discovery Day\u00a02025.<\/p>\n

Join\u00a0our Slack<\/a>\u00a0and follow us on\u00a0LinkedIn<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0Instagram<\/a>\u00a0to join the conversation. Have a tip, update or photo to share from Discovery Day\u00a02025? Drop us a line at\u00a0pittsburgh@technical.ly<\/a>.<\/p>\n

On to the next one<\/p>\n

Discovery Day 2025 ends, but Pittsburgh Tech Week continues. <\/p>\n

4:30 p.m.<\/p>\n

The panels at Discovery Day have wrapped and attendees are headed to happy hour. After thousands of\u00a0visitors\u00a0and hundreds of tech demos, Pittsburgh\u2019s 2025 Discovery Day is coming to a close. <\/p>\n

AI at work<\/p>\n

Pittsburgh\u2019s biggest companies \u2014 like PPG Industries, Highmark and BNY \u2014\u00a0have made artificial intelligence a part of everyday work. <\/p>\n

3:00 p.m.<\/p>\n

Sitting in on my final Discovery Day panel today: How AI is advancing business in downtown Pittsburgh.<\/p>\n

All types of companies, not just tech firms, are adopting AI, said Jeremy Waldrup, president and CEO of the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership, and downtown firms are increasingly a part of that.<\/p>\n

For example, PPG Industries, Highmark and BNY.<\/p>\n

Earlier this year, Highmark\u00a0announced a partnership<\/a>\u00a0with local AI-powered clinical note-taking startup Abridge. PPG is\u00a0using AI<\/a>\u00a0to develop its paint formulas. BNY recently unveiled an updated version of its AI model Eliza and\u00a0nearly 100%<\/a>\u00a0of its employees use the in-house AI platform.<\/p>\n

\"\"PPG, Highmark and BNY at Discovery Day 2025 (Alice Crow\/Technical.ly)<\/p>\n

How\u2019s SWPA spending that $62.7M?<\/p>\n

The New Economy Collaborative gives a progress update on federal workforce development funding under the current administration. <\/p>\n

12:15 p.m.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re about to hear an annual review of the\u00a0New Economy Collaborative<\/a> (NEC), moderated by\u00a0Technical.ly\u00a0CEO Chris Wink.<\/p>\n

Over the past three years, this coalition (spanning 11 counties and more than 90 partners) has worked to keep local manufacturers competitive, promote entrepreneurship and provide workforce development opportunities.<\/p>\n

Some quick stats on the coalition\u2019s\u00a0progress:<\/p>\n

16 new startups launched through the Robotics Factory<\/p>\n

190 technical assessments for local manufacturers<\/p>\n

10,000 students trained<\/p>\n

206 scholarships deployed<\/p>\n

5,000 work-based trainees engaged<\/p>\n

12 pathway fellows graduated<\/p>\n

80 new technology adoptions at local manufacturers<\/p>\n

You may not be familiar with NEC, Wink said, but you may have benefited from programs that receive NEC funding.<\/p>\n

Some programs, organizations and events with an NEC link include:<\/p>\n

Carnegie Mellon University Robotics Pathways Institute<\/p>\n

Robotics Factory Accelerator<\/p>\n

World Innovation Summit<\/p>\n

Pittsburgh Robotics Network<\/a><\/p>\n

Mancini\u2019s Bakery is an example of a traditional business benefitting from the NEC. The bakery has been working with NEC partner Catalyst Connection through an exploratory grant to adopt AI and robotics into its operations to become a \u201csmart bakery.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOur goal is to be the most technically advanced bakery in Pittsburgh,\u201d Nick Mancini Hartner said.<\/p>\n

\"\"The New Economy Collaborative gives a status update at Discovery Day (Alice Crow\/Technical.ly)<\/p>\n

The next gen of deep tech<\/p>\n

The Deep Tech Institute discusses its programming. <\/p>\n

11:30 a.m.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0Deep Tech Institute<\/a>\u00a0(DTI) launched earlier this year. It focuses on workforce development for current and emerging leaders in the\u00a0deep tech space.<\/p>\n

\"\"The Deep Learning Institute session at Discovery Day 2025 (Alice Crow\/Technical.ly)<\/p>\n

Robots take over the building<\/p>\n

Meet the exhibitors showing off their latest tech.<\/p>\n

10:30 a.m.<\/p>\n

Good morning, Pittsburgh! I\u2019m\u00a0currently on the exhibitor floor of\u00a0Robotics and AI Discovery Day.<\/p>\n

There are several zones at the event, featuring different types of companies or organizations:<\/p>\n

Robotics<\/p>\n

AI and Tech<\/p>\n

Advanced Manufacturing<\/p>\n

Career Pathways<\/p>\n

Community<\/p>\n

STEM<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a bunch of demos happening here today.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s an example of physical AI at work from local company Atlas Robotics, which builds autonomous pallet\u00a0movers.<\/p>\n

Local startup EKTO VR is demoing its virtual reality boots. The boots, which help users walk in virtual reality spaces without motion sickness, are currently sold for $20,000,\u00a0but the startup is creating a more consumer-friendly version that will be priced closer to\u00a0$1,000 to $3,000.<\/p>\n

\"\"An EKTO sign at Discovery Day 2025 (Alice Crow\/Technical.ly)<\/p>\n

Construction and warehouse work are major themes in the robotics zone. For example, TyBot from Advanced Construction Robotics is\u00a0primarily\u00a0used for bridge construction.<\/p>\n

\"\"TyBot demos its product at Discovery Day (Alice Crow\/Technical.ly)<\/p>\n

And of course, robotic dogs have to make an appearance.<\/p>\n

\"\"Robot dogs roam the floor at Discovery Day (Alice Crow\/Technical.ly)<\/p>\n

Autonomous and custom-made vehicles are another major company theme at the event. Here are a few:<\/p>\n

SPM<\/a>\u00a0builds electric off-roading vehicles.<\/p>\n

Aurora<\/a>\u00a0is an autonomous trucking company that launched its product on Texas roads earlier this year.<\/p>\n

Motional<\/a>\u00a0develops driverless vehicles.<\/p>\n

Neya<\/a>\u00a0creates software for autonomous off-road vehicles.<\/p>\n

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Welcome to Discovery Day 2025<\/p>\n

Attendees start arriving at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. <\/p>\n

9 a.m.<\/p>\n

Doors have opened for Robotics and AI\u00a0Discovery Day\u00a02025 and opening remarks are set to start soon. Read these stories to get caught up on what happened last year<\/a> and what to expect this year<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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