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This week in Pittsburgh, Adrich’s founding story, robots at the airport and more.
Read on for Technical.ly’s weekly roundup of top news in the region.
📰 News Incubator: What else to know
• Local e-waste recycling startup RoboLoop, a 2025 CMU spinout, is already using its AI-powered robot, PL1, to accelerate the disassembly of e-waste recycling for the City of Pittsburgh. [Technical.ly]
• A timeline of aerospace company Astrobotic shows its journey from a humble mission to return humanity to the moon to a powerhouse in space exploration, boasting over $600 million in contracts and hundreds of employees. [Technical.ly]
• The University of Pittsburgh ordered a hiring freeze for faculty and staff on Monday, citing federal funding uncertainty. Pitt administrators later said the pause was also due to enrollment trends, inflation and flat state funding. [WESA/PublicSource]
• Electronics manufacturing startup Hellbender will move its headquarters to a 40,000-square-foot space on Penn Avenue in East Liberty, doubling its staff to 100 by the end of the year. [Technical.ly/Walnut Capital]
• An analysis of the 74 companies on Technical.ly’s 2025 RealLIST Startups reveals key trends for early-stage mid-Atlantic startups, including the prevalence of hybrid work and university affiliations. [Technical.ly]
• Duolingo has no plans to open an office in Silicon Valley, according to its global head of talent brand who says companies outside of the Bay Area can “redefine what success means in tech” — but getting talent to Pittsburgh is still challenging. [Pittsburgh Biz Times/TechTarget]
🗓️ On the Calendar
• Pittsburgh’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade will kick off downtown at 10 a.m. on March 15. The festivities will also include family-friendly activities in Market Square and awards for local participants. [More info]
• Learn why smart homes, cameras and other IoT devices are a hacker’s goldmine and how to protect yourself at a workshop on March 16, hosted by Hackers Guild PGH. [Find out more]
• The University of Pittsburgh’s Big Idea Center is hosting another event in its Start Smart Legal Series. Learn about the legal and economic issue associated with raising funds from various sources on March 20. [Register]
• The Pittsburgh Technology Council is hosting a virtual internship fair on March 20 for high school and college students looking to connect with innovative employers in the Pittsburgh region. [RSVP]
• Celebrate 75 years of innovation at Carnegie Mellon University’s Academic Symposium on March 21 – 22, highlighting groundbreaking research from the Tepper School of Business. [Details here]
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