PITTSBURGH, PA (June 29, 2021) Today, Mayor William Peduto will be meeting with local robotics industry leaders and TechCrunch at two events to discuss the technology ecosystem in Pittsburgh. Mayor Peduto will be attending the Pittsburgh Robotics Network event in Lawrenceville this morning and will be a keynote speaker at TechCrunch’s virtual City Spotlight: Pittsburgh at 2:00 p.m.
Growth in the technology sector has thrived over the last decade, with the Pittsburgh Robotics Network reporting that there are over 7,000 jobs in the robotics industry in Pittsburgh and over $3.4 billion invested in local robotics companies. With Pittsburgh as the home for over 105 robotics organizations, the region is leading the United States in basic science, research and development in robotics and artificial intelligence and has emerged as an opportunity hub for technology companies, startups and talent.
“As our technology economy grows stronger, our city grows stronger. We retain the talent our universities attract, we emerge as a leader in research and development globally, we attract investment into our communities, we support our locally-owned and small businesses and we create the opportunity to educate and train the next generation of Pittsburghers to participate in the technology sector,” said Mayor Peduto.
Supporting the technology ecosystem has been part of Pittsburgh’s economic development strategy. Mayor Peduto has forged partnerships with leaders in several industries including government, technology, health care, universities, corporations and philanthropies to promote equitable growth of the technology sector for today and tomorrow’s Pittsburgh. This includes Pittsburgh-based startup Duolingo, Pittsburgh’s first venture capital-funded $1 billion startup, which filed to go public yesterday.
To encourage the growth of tech talent within our communities, the Peduto Administration piloted and implemented Rec2Tech, a program for community recreation centers to use city resources to increase access to technology for young people and provide them learning opportunities to create career paths in innovation and technology.
In an effort to further support the startup community, Mayor Peduto also created an incubator within city hall by launching PGH Lab, which is currently hosting its sixth cohort. Local startups are paired with city departments or authorities to test new products and provide innovative solutions that improve the efficiency, transparency, sustainability and inclusivity of government services. PGH Lab 6.0 focused on equity and community-impact applications and will be hosting a virtual company showcase tomorrow at 11 a.m. PGH Lab is part of the city’s Inclusive Innovation initiative, celebrating and encouraging diversity and innovation in the technology and Pittsburgh community.
