Meet Toyota AI Ventures in Pittsburgh on October 9

In July, we announced our first “call for innovation” with the Toyota Research Institute (TRI) to discover and potentially invest in innovative robotics startups that are improving mobile manipulation. As part of the call, the Toyota AI Ventures team is visiting some of the most exciting technology hubs in the US — and our next stop is Pittsburgh, PA, also known as “Roboburgh” because of its leading role in robotics.

Alongside our friends at Innovation Works, we are co-hosting a free evening event on “Investing in Robotics Innovation: From Research to the Real World.” Join us Tuesday, October 9th at AlphaLab Gear for a candid conversation and Q&A around the challenges and opportunities facing robotics entrepreneurs on the path to commercialization.

The discussion will be moderated by AlphaLab Gear managing director Ilana Diamond, and panelists include:

• Jim Adler — Founding Managing Director at Toyota AI Ventures, where he leads the team’s efforts to find and fund promising early-stage startups in AI, autonomous mobility, robotics, data, and cloud technologies.
• Eric Krotkov— Chief Science Officer at TRI, he oversees a world-class robotics team committed to improving the quality of human life by developing technologies for service robots that can assist with in-home care.
• Dawn Rucker — Principal at The Rucker Group with over 30 years of experience as an entrepreneur and chief executive, she spent her early career in the aerospace and defense industry where she built a world-class engineering and manufacturing business specializing in multispectral imaging and real-time control systems.
• Jimmy Williams — Executive Director, Engineering and Technology Innovation Management Program, Carnegie Mellon University, he comes to his current position with significant and practical experience in the industry, having worked at companies like Boeing, Alcoa, and Pall Corp.

We’re excited to meet entrepreneurs and other investors in Pittsburgh next week. If you’d like to attend the panel, RSVP now because space is limited. Also, remember to check out our call for innovation — the deadline to apply is October 31.