Pittsburgh weekly roundup: Fed innovation funds; Advice for founders; Aurora’s commercial launch

Government funds start to hit PGH ecosystems

Federal and state funding will drive the Pittsburgh economy over the next decade, said business, academic and government representatives who gathered last month at CMU to discuss the billions of dollars collectively allocated by the CHIPS and Science Act, the Inflation Reduction Act, the Build Back Better Challenge and other programs.

As the region readies for this huge influx of money to support industrial innovation, the leaders emphasized the idea that local communities must have a say in how it’s spent.

➡️ Learn more about the incoming windfalls and how it’ll be distributed

Surviving a tough fundraising environment

No matter the industry, every startup founder developing a business has to deal with a few shared aspects. One of those is financing — but with the end of the cheap money era, VC investments are much harder to come by.

At an interactive “fishbowl” session at the Technical.ly Builders Conference, entrepreneurs shared their advice for choosing investors wisely, seeking funding in unexpected places, building trust and leaning on peers for support.

➡️ Read my colleague Kaela Roeder’s report for more insights

News Incubator: What else to know

• Aviation and robotics leaders gathered in Pittsburgh this week to talk about the future of travel. We all really just want bigger seats and more legroom but sure, robots are cool, too. [Pittsburgh Business Times]

• Cold case investigators are using new fingerprint tech to catch killers and bring justice to victims for crimes committed decades ago. Content warning: This piece contains some pretty grisly details about local murders. [WTAE]

• Self-driving car company Aurora plans to launch its commercial product by the end of the year, it told investors. [Aurora/Techncial.ly]

• More sophisticated, high-tech traffic control is coming to Pittsburgh. A $32 million traffic management system will change signals based on how the roads are flowing and in response to car accidents. [Pittsburgh Union Progress]

• Local startup Gecko Robotics landed on CNBC’s top disruptors. The list highlights private companies changing the industries they work in. [CNBC/Technical.ly]

• An academic accreditor is auditing Pittsburgh Technical College. The PA Attorney General office began investing the school last week following claims of financial mismanagement. [WPXI/Technical.ly]

🗓️ On the Calendar

Welcome to the daily roundup of the latest from Pittsburgh's tech and entrepreneurship scene. Want this in your inbox? Subscribe for free.