PITCHFIRE: THE ROBOTICS STARTUP COMPETITION
October 18–19, 2023 · Santa Clara, CA
At RoboBusiness, five robotics startup companies will deliver 5 minute pitches to compete for a cash prize and invaluable feedback from industry investors.
The industry’s hottest robotics startups compete in Pitchfire for a $5,000 first-place prize and eternal bragging rights.
Five startups deliver 5-minute ‘pitches’ to a panel of judges describing their solution, business model, value proposition and more. Judges pick a winner and two runners-up based on the startup they believe to be best primed for commercial success.
Participating startups receive invaluable feedback from investors, can network with industry leaders, get free passes to RoboBusiness and will appear on The Robot Report Podcast.
Apply for Pitchfire 2023
To be eligible for Pitchfire, startups must meet the following criteria:
- Currently developing or commercializing robots or related technologies
- Less than 5 years old
- Fewer than 30 employees
- Unfunded or has received Seed funding
Submission Deadline: August 31
For More Information
To apply to be a contestant, judge or sponsor, contact Steve Crowe at scrowe@wtwhmedia.com.
To apply to be a contestant, judge or sponsor, contact Steve Crowe at scrowe@wtwhmedia.com.
Meet the 2023 Startups
AIVOT
AIVOT provides software for robots to perform various open-ended tasks in unstructured settings. AIVOT learns new skills by following spoken instructions and observing human demos. The self-learning agent improves skills with feedback and experience and uses vision to perform the tasks. The end-to-end software stack can be deployed on any third-party hardware (robotic arms, AMRs, and humanoid form factors).
Glidance
Glidance is developing a self-guided mobility aid, called Glide, for people with sight loss. Glide helps a person with sight loss get around with ease and confidence by guiding them to where they want to go using advanced autonomous guiding technologies and a novel mechanical design promoting a sense of agency and independence. Glide also uses haptic and audio feedback to help provide a safe walking experience for its users.
Staxel
Staxel automates micro-fulfillment using robots and artificial intelligence, optimizing inventory management and fleet operations. Staxel uses a unique autonomous mobile robot design that can move along floors, vertically and between shelves. Staxel said it will soon launch a fully automated darkstore with a 10x boost in operational efficiency.
TRIC Robotics
TRIC Robotics is helping farmers control pests and disease using ultraviolet light as an alternative for chemical pesticides. Ultraviolet light is a resistance and chemical free solution that is more sustainable and effective than chemicals. The company’s solution is a tractor-scale robot that carries UV lights up and down the rows as a pest control service that replaces their existing pest control costs.
Meet the 2022 Winner
Congratulations to Tatum Robotics, winner of Pitchfire 2022. Led by Samantha Johnson, Tatum Robotics has created a 3D-printed robotic hand that aims to help DeafBlind people communicate, soon to be followed by a complete robotic arm for complex signing. A DeafBlind person uses Tatum’s robot by placing their hand over the robotic hand, which currently fingerspells using the American Sign Language manual alphabet.
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