Sherwin Prior

Research advancements and technological progress have combined to remove barriers to robotics innovation and commercialization, providing the robotics sector with many opportunities for startups that can deliver robotics solutions that are functional and deliver real value. While funding for robotics start-ups continues to increase, it is equally true that fundraising for a robotics startup can be challenging, more so compared to other sectors and technologies. A keynote panel of leading robotics sector investment professionals will discuss venture capital (VC) and private sector investment in companies producing robots or enabling technologies. The keynote will also highlight companies, technologies, and applications that have found commercial success or have the potential for doing so. Macro trends in the robotics sector, useful for uncovering novel technological innovations, as well as surfacing overlooked business opportunities, will be discussed. Topics include: - The state of robotics sector investment - Business, technological and social drivers for investment - Gating factors and headwinds - Why robotics startups succeed (or fail) - Robotics unicorns - Ongoing robotics opportunities