The MassRobotics Form and Function Challenge pavilion at the 2024 Robotics Summit & Expo.
MassRobotics will be returning to the Robotics Summit & Expo this year as exclusive strategic partner. WTWH Media, which produces the event and The Robot Report, announced that MassRobotics will provide guidance and act as a liaison to its network of partners, sponsors, and resident startups, as well as to the global robotics community.
The 2025 Robotics Summit & Expo takes place on April 30 and May 1 at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. It will bring together more than 5,000 developers focused on building robots for aerospace and defense, healthcare, logistics, manufacturing, and other markets.
“We are excited to be partnering with The Robotic Summit & Expo again this year,” stated Tom Ryden, executive director of MassRobotics. “The Robotic Summit is an amazing event for the robotics community to learn what is involved in the design, development, manufacturing, and delivery of commercial robotics products. It also allows many of our startups and university robotics teams to highlight their innovation on the show floor and make great contacts with people who can help bring their robots to life.”
At the show, MassRobotics will run its 2025 Form and Function Robotics Challenge, a career fair, an Accelerator Showcase, and a presentation from the latest cohort in its Healthcare Robotics Startup Catalyst.
Boston-based MassRobotics is a nonprofit robotics hub dedicated to accelerating innovation and adoption in the field of robotics. The organization provides entrepreneurs and startups with the workspace and networking they need to successfully develop, prototype, test, and commercialize the next generation of robotics and connected devices.
Form and Function to name winners at the show
Seoul National University was the 2024 winner of the MassRobotics Form and Function Robotics Challenge.
MassRobotics’ third annual Form and Function Robotics Challenge calls for university teams to build a robot that delivers a compelling form factor specific to its tasks while accomplishing a useful function. The challenge requires selected applicants to use the offerings from a minimum of two of MassRobotics’ partners.
Prior winners include Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Tufts University, Seoul National University, Wentworth Institute of Technology, the University of British Columbia, Indiana University Bloomington, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
The grand prize of $10,000, along with $1,000 prizes for the second-place, third-place, and Audience Choice winners, will be announced at noon on May 1 at the Engineering Theater at the Robotics Summit & Expo.
In addition, attendees can meet with Form & Function participants and see their innovations firsthand on the expo floor in Booth 454.
Career fair returns to the Robotics Summit
Co-located with the Robotics Summit, the MassRobotics Career Fair will take place on May 1 from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. ET. The event draws from both Robotics Summit attendees and the robotics community at large. Previous versions of the career fair have attracted over 600 candidates.
MassRobotics designed the event for technical industry job seekers. This includes recent graduates and seasoned engineers, computer scientists, vision specialists, mechatronics experts, AI professionals, and more.
Companies from start-ups to industry leaders will be hosting information tables where candidates can learn more about the them, find out what positions are open, and schedule interviews.
Accelerator Showcase comes to Robotics Summit
MassRobotics’ second cohort in its Accelerator program. | Source: MassRobotics
MassRobotics’ second Accelerator cohort includes Haystack Ag, LiftLabs, Mito Robotics, Nexterity, p!ng, Redefine Surgery, ReviMo, Revolute Robotics, Tatum Robotics, and Variable Machines. Similar to last year, competition was fierce for the Accelerator, with an 8% acceptance rate. More than 130 startups applied to this program, with applicants from more than 25 countries.
The program will culminate in an Accelerator Showcase at the show. Companies in this cohort represent a number of industries, including healthcare, manufacturing, consumer goods, assistive technology, and ocean tech. MassRobotics noted that female founders make up 40% of the cohort.
Meet the latest Healthcare Robotics Startup Catalyst cohort
The fourth cohort in MassRobotics’ Healthcare Robotics Startup Catalyst Program will give a live presentation of its progress at the Robotics Summit. This year’s group includes six young companies selected for their cutting-edge solutions in healthcare robotics.
The selected companies include:
- OTSAW: This Singapore-based company aims to refine its healthcare intralogistics robots to launch a pilot for automated medication transport in the U.S. market.
- ReviMo: ReviMo is developing a personal robotic mobility assistant to help individuals with mobility challenges get out of bed and live independently.
- Sixdof Space: Sixdof Space Ltd. said it enables full robotic and drone autonomy with its unique tracking solution.
- Subtlebotic: The Keeramangalam, India-based firm has developed a lightweight, compact, and external wearable device to restore mobility for individuals who have lost motor function in their limbs.
- TechNovator: TechNovator said it provides an innovative solution for wireless battery charging by using quantum technology with 95% efficiency over a distance compared with existing technologies.
- Tenomix: Tenomix Inc. has developed a platform for cancer diagnostics that integrates robotics, ultrasound imaging, and artificial intelligence to automate manual pathology workflows, enabling faster, more reliable, and more efficient cancer care.
About the Robotics Summit & Expo
The Robotics Summit & Expo will bring together more than 5,000 developers focused on building robots for a variety of commercial industries. Attendees will gain insights into the latest enabling technologies, engineering best practices, and emerging trends. There will be over 70 speakers on stage, over 10 hours of dedicated networking time, a Women in Robotics Breakfast, and more.
Returning to the show is the RBR50 Pavilion and RBR50 Awards Dinner, which will honor the winners of the annual RBR50 Robotics Innovation Awards. Limited tickets will be available for this gala.
This year’s keynote speakers include:
- Aaron Saunders, the chief technology officer at Boston Dynamics
- Aaron Parness, the director of applied science in robotics and artificial intelligence at Amazon Robotics
- Aadeel Akhtar, the CEO and founder of PSYONIC
- James Kuffner, the CTO of Symbotic
- Daniela Rus, the director of MIT CSAIL
Beyond the keynotes and conference sessions, there will be 200-plus exhibits and demos on the expo show floor, a career fair, a robotics development challenge, networking opportunities, and more.
This year’s networking opportunities include the Welcome Reception on April 29 from 5-7 pm and an evening Mix & Mingle reception on April 30 from 5-6 pm.
For sponsorship opportunities, visit the event site or contact Colleen Sepich at csepich[at]wtwhmedia.com.
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