This EDA investment supports the southwestern pennsylvania (swpa) new economy collaborative, a coalition of the region's leading university, philanthropic, and private sector leaders, with…

The U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA) awarded an $8.625 million Project Grant under the Economic Adjustment Assistance (CFDA 11.307) program to Innovatepgh, doing business as Startuptown, to strengthen the robotics and autonomy cluster in Southwestern Pennsylvania.

The funding will support five projects that expand workforce training in robotics and artificial intelligence careers and support technology adoption by small and medium enterprises. This includes growing the region's portfolio of robotics and AI-related workforce training pathways and a project providing assistance to small and medium enterprises for robotics adoption. The investment is intended to develop and strengthen regional industry clusters while embracing economic equity, creating good-paying jobs, and enhancing U.S. competitiveness globally. The place of performance for the grant is Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

This EDA investment supports the southwestern pennsylvania (swpa) new economy collaborative, a coalition of the region's leading university, philanthropic, and private sector leaders, with strengthening the robotics and autonomy cluster in southwestern pennsylvania by ensuring that its economic benefits equitably reach rural and coal-impacted communities in the 11-county region. The five projects funded as part of this award include support for the expanded pathways to new economy careers to grow the region's existing robotics and AI-related workforce training portfolio and a SME robotics adoption project to support technology adoption by small- and medium-sized enterprises. Once implemented, the investment will help develop and strengthen regional industry clusters - all while embracing economic equity, creating good-paying jobs, and enhancing U.S. Competitiveness globally.