Pittsburgh Wins RoboBusiness 2006
The Technology Collaborative Announces 2005 Gains

in Regional Technology & Robotics Jobs

Leading robotics conference will showcase regions strengths, opportunities.
 

Pittsburgh, PA December 15, 2005 - The Technology Collaborative (TTC), a statewide economic development organization that supports the growth of Pennsylvanias world-class robotics, cyber-security and digital technologies industries, announced today that during its fiscal year 2005 (July 1, 2004 through June 30, 2005), TTC members added 320 jobs in the digital and robotics sectors. A total of 16 jobs were lost for a net of 304. Without the continued support of its funders, especially the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, TTC would be unable to continue to deliver programs and services and help its members create high valued jobs. Total jobs created since 2000 are 1,324.

The job creation in 2005 is indicative of a growing cluster of digital and robotics companies in the region, commented David Ruppersberger, President and CEO of The Technology Collaborative. The data is significant for several reasons: this is the best job creation performance weve seen since 2001, the average annual wage is over $70K in both of these sectors, and while we dont forecast job creation, we are expecting another good performance in FY06.

In a press release issued earlier this week, Dan Kara, President and Co-founder of Robotics Trends, also announced that Pittsburgh has been named the location for the annual RoboBusiness Conference and Exposition will be held in Pittsburgh in 2006, which was held in Boston in 2005. According to the research Robotics Trends has conducted, western Pennsylvania is strongly positioned to become the global leader in robotics. It has all of the elements we consider necessary to develop a thriving industry: community and business resources, a strong hobby robotics community which provides a pool of early adopters for service and personal robots, the commitment of diverse coalitions and elected leaders, and strong academic programs in robotics which provide a pool of talent necessary to create next-generation robotics, commented Mr. Kara. Based on these strengths, Pittsburgh was an obvious choice for our third annual RoboBusiness conference. We look forward to developing our most compelling agenda and roster of keynote speakers to date.

RoboBusiness is the only industry event dedicated to the business development and technical issues involved with the commercial application of mobile robotics and intelligent systems to develop new markets and product categories, open additional lines of business and enhance existing product lines. RoboBusiness offers attendees the opportunity to gain insight on the advances of robotics and intelligent systems are being used to produce whole new classes of both business-to-business and consumer products and services. The 2006 RoboBusiness conference is scheduled to take place on June 20-21 at the Sheraton Station Square Hotel. Speakers will be announced in early 2006; conference tracks will include Business Development and Opportunities, Technology and Products, Markets and Applications, and Security and Defense. For more information, visit www.robobusiness2006.com .

About The Technology Collaborative

Formed in January 2005 as the result of a merger between The Pittsburgh Digital Greenhouse and The Robotics Foundry, The Technology Collaborative is focused on growing companies and streamlining efforts to secure a balanced mix of federal, state and local funding to support the growth of Pennsylvanias world-class robotics, cyber-security and digital technologies industries. TTCs mission is to develop an effective end-to-end strategy for integrating digital technologies developed by the states universities into commercial products that are designed, engineered, produced, marketed and sold by companies based in Pennsylvania.

About Robotics Trends

Robotics Trends is the worlds first integrated media firm serving the burgeoning personal, service and mobile robotics marketplace. Robotics Trends serves our clientele through three major business divisions: Robotics Trends Publishing, which produces RoboticsTrends.com, an online resource magazine launched in October 2003; Robotics Trends Events, which produces the RoboBusiness Conference and Exposition and RoboNexus Confernece and Exposition, the international consumer, educational and business development conference for intelligent, mobile robotics; Robotics Trends Analyst Services which serves the strategic consulting needs of leading emerging robotics manufacturers.

Contact

Lynn Seay

Principal, prwerks, LLC

E: lseay@prwerks.com

P: (412) 918-0094

C: (412) 298-7206

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