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Media Inquiries:
Cassia Crogan, ccrogan@andrew.cmu.edu, 412-268-2902
Meredith Meyer Grelli, mmgrelli@cmu.edu, 412-728-0053


Pittsburgh's Innovation Community Unites for the Inaugural StartUP PGH

Fifteen partner organizations align their flagship events for a single region-wide week celebrating Pittsburgh's future as a frontier technology hub. 

PITTSBURGH, Pa., June 24, 2026 — Pittsburgh's startup, research, and investment community will launch StartUP PGH this fall, Sept 14 to 18, a weeklong showcase of the region's strength in AI, robotics and life sciences. 

Pittsburgh is becoming one of the nation's frontier technology hubs, where world-leading research moves into companies, capital and jobs. StartUP PGH, September 14-18, will make the region's momentum even more visible to founders, investors, students and corporate partners, both inside and outside the region. 

"Pittsburgh has the ingredients of a global frontier technology hub: world-class research, a deep bench of robotics, AI, and life sciences companies, and a community that is galvanized around building together," said Meredith Meyer Grelli, managing director and interim executive director of the Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship at Carnegie Mellon University. "StartUP PGH is what happens when academic, state, innovation and nonprofits decide to point all of that energy and collectively stake a claim on the future of the region."

Fifteen partner organizations have shifted their flagship annual events into a single coordinated week and are also building new programming. StartUP PGH builds directly on CMU Startup Week, which the Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship originated and launched in Fall 2025. That first programming - spanning 25 events over four days - drew 2,000 participants and more than 200 investors and corporate partners from outside the region.  

"Pittsburgh’s innovation ecosystem seamlessly integrates emerging technologies and advanced manufacturing aligned with where the commercial market is moving now," said Theresa Mayer, vice president for research at Carnegie Mellon University. "Our vibrant university and startup environment in AI, robotics and life sciences is delivering scalable, high-growth commercial solutions that are transforming these sectors. StartUP PGH is the ideal forum to display our pipeline and the opportunities it is creating on a global stage."  

Carnegie Mellon University will host four signature events throughout the week:

    • Lab to Market (Tuesday, September 15): A research-focused day connecting CMU's most promising research for commercialization. Registration: https://luma.com/p0bv8a21
    • AI Robotics Venture Day (Wednesday, September 16): A showcase of the most investable AI and robotics ventures affiliated with Carnegie Mellon, presented in partnership with Innovation Works. Registration: https://luma.com/48jskgnl
    • Carnegie Mellon SPARK Startup Job Fair (Thursday, September 17): A career fair connecting world-class CMU student talent to some of the country’s most exciting startups, held on CMU's campus. 
    • CMU Swartz Student Startup Showcase: An interactive exhibition event showcasing student and recent alumni startups.

A Week Across the Region

Outside of CMU's lineup, anchor programming offered by other organizations include: the Pittsburgh Robotics Network's Discovery Day at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, a Health Innovation Symposium led by the Pittsburgh Life Sciences Alliance, the Explore Innovation startup showcase, Innovation Works' Venture Expo, a regional growth reception convened with the Allegheny Conference, and AI Strike Team’s AI Horizon event. The week closes with a community event hosted by Pittsburgh Tomorrow. Additionally, community members can submit innovation events on the StartUP PGH website to be included in the week. 

"Pittsburgh's future is being built right now, in our labs, our universities, and our startups," said Corey O'Connor, Mayor of Pittsburgh. "StartUP PGH puts that future on full display and tells the world that this is where innovation becomes real. The City is proud to stand behind the founders, researchers and partners making it happen."

"Pittsburgh and Allegheny County are proving you can build a frontier economy and build it for everyone," said Sara Innamorato, Allegheny County Chief Executive. "The research, the startups and the jobs taking shape across our region right now are the foundation of our future, and we are committed to making sure that future reaches residents in every community. StartUP PGH puts what we are building on display, and just as importantly, who we are building it for."

A full schedule and the new StartUP PGH website launch this week at https://startuppgh.com/.

Participating Organizations

StartUP PGH is presented by Carnegie Mellon University's Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship in partnership with organizations across the region, including:

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About Carnegie Mellon University

Carnegie Mellon University is a private, internationally ranked research university known for groundbreaking work in the arts, artificial intelligence, robotics, advanced manufacturing and behavioral economics. Its seven schools and colleges support an entrepreneurial spirit and diverse community of scholars, researchers, creators and innovators in Pittsburgh and around the world. CMU takes pride in challenging the curious and passionate to imagine and deliver work that matters.


About StartUP PGH

StartUP PGH is a region-wide week of programming uniting Pittsburgh's startup, research, investment, and corporate community to advance the region's standing as a frontier technology hub. The inaugural StartUP PGH runs September 14 to 18, 2026.