Thanks to a new partnership between two of the ecosystem’s best-known organizations, Pittsburgh’s signature robotics showcase is leaning into national security this fall, pairing physical AI with dual-use defense tech.
The Pittsburgh Robotics Network and the Pittsburgh Technology Council (PRN and PTC, for those who like acronyms) are partnering to host Robotics & AI Discovery Day 2026 on Sept. 16.
“Business growth is the ultimate goal.”
Jenn Apicella, Pittsburgh Robotics Network
The daylong event, which is returning for its fifth edition after drawing an estimated 10,000 attendees last year, will include a new Defense Pavilion to showcase innovations with applications across defense, healthcare, manufacturing and logistics. Its announcement follows on the heels of the recent Defense and Innovation Summit in Carlisle, PA, which brought news of millions in new investments in Pittsburgh-region defense tech.
“The Defense Pavilion will highlight that opportunity and help companies connect their technologies to government customers and new partners, creating valuable pathways to winning federal contracts,” PRN Executive Director Jenn Apicella told Technical.ly.
As Southwestern Pennsylvania’s tech scene doubles down on physical AI — embedding the intelligent software directly into hardware and machinery — this year’s showcase emphasizes the potential for this tech in the defense space.
Beyond defense, Discovery Day retains its staple programming. 2026 attendees can expect live tech demonstrations, industry workshops, panel discussions and a Career Center linking job seekers directly with regional employers.
“Business growth is the ultimate goal,” Apicella said. “That means customer connections, investor meetings, earned media, hiring top talent and strategic partnerships.”
The event draws backing from Innovation Works and the New Economy Collaborative of Southwestern Pennsylvania (NEC), an initiative funded by a $62.7 million Build Back Better Regional Challenge grant from the US Economic Development Administration.
Across five core projects and more than 90 partner organizations, the NEC uses those federal dollars to expand workforce development, drive advanced manufacturing adoption, and supercharge early-stage robotics startups.
Scaling up to more than double attendance
PRN launched the inaugural Discovery Day in 2022 to demystify Pittsburgh’s robotics scene.
That first year drew 4,500 attendees and 80 exhibitors, including elementary students getting a first look at regional STEM programs. The showcase scaled rapidly in the years that followed.
In 2023, organizers added a manufacturing zone, debuted the Robotics Factory’s inaugural Accelerate cohort and featured heavy hitters like Agility Robotics and autonomous vehicle leader Aurora. 2024 continued that trend, highlighting startups across the regional ecosystem.
Last year’s gathering featured 250 exhibitors, regional policymakers, venture investors and executives from global giants like NVIDIA.
PRN’s plan to team up with PTC this year brings four decades of regional tech influence to the event. The trade association, led by President and CEO Audrey Russo, represents a network of nearly 1,000 member organizations across Southwestern Pennsylvania.
“This partnership with the Pittsburgh Robotics Network gives us an opportunity to bring those capabilities together,” Russo said in the press release, “and demonstrate the important role this region can play in strengthening America’s technology and defense leadership.”
