Carnegie Foundry: Bringing AI, Robotics and Energy Innovations to Market

By: Rich Fruehauf, Rob Szczerba, Michael Lutzky, and Jeff Legault

Successfully delivering world-leading AI, autonomous robotics, energy innovation and deep tech from research to the market requires a fast, scalable, and proven approach — one that the Carnegie Foundry venture studio model delivers.

Why it matters: America’s competitiveness and security in energy, advanced manufacturing, and defense increasingly hinge on the rapid and successful commercialization of AI and robotics. 

  • Deployment of AI and autonomous robotics is essential to leapfrogging foreign competitors in advanced manufacturing, reducing U.S. reliance on fragile global supply chains, and re-establishing technology dominance in critical fields.
  • Yet, most promising innovations born in university labs stall before reaching the market — especially in deep tech sectors with steep costs, long development cycles and high technical risk.

For example, key U.S. sectors now depend heavily on foreign supply chains, with China emerging as a dominant supplier of critical infrastructure components in several areas, including: 

  • More than 80% of global unmanned aerial vehicles (at a fraction of cost of U.S. suppliers).
  • 65% of global LiDAR, or Light Detection and Ranging, manufacturing.
  • 80% of large power transformers (90% of power in the U.S. passes through them) in the U.S. are imported.

What we’re doing: Carnegie Foundry’s for-profit venture studio model bridges the commercialization gap by de-risking deep-tech solutions, shortening development timelines, and scaling innovation through:

  • Deep integration with CMU’s National Robotics Engineering Center (NREC) and its 30 years of prototyping experience.
  • Leveraging a robust portfolio of proven AI, machine learning and autonomous robotics technology.
  • Robust business case development and market review prior to venture launch.
  • Early-stage funding.
  • A successful spinout structure backed by leaders like U.S. Steel and Oshkosh.

Our model is already delivering results with the successful launch of AI/autonomous robotics focused startups, including:

  • VoxEQ Inc: We redirected voice analysis IP developed at CMU toward high-value fintech fraud detection use cases. VoxEQ has since closed a $10 million Series A and is deploying with major call centers.
  • Freespace Robotics: By commercializing unused warehouse automation IP from a prior NREC client, Freespace Robotics won "Startup of the Year" at one of the logistics industry’s largest global expos. Backed by Pittsburgh leaders like U.S. Steel and Matthews International, Freespace is proof that a studio approach creates investable, scalable companies addressing large scale challenges, rooted in deep tech.
  • Thryve Labs: Developing the first custom LLMs and AI models for human behavior initially directed to addressing the aging and care crisis with monitoring, detection, and precision that keeps people safer, healthier and offers peace of mind for their caregivers. In development with third party investor participation pending.

The bottom line: Realizing the full potential of our world leading AI, robotics and deeptech research requires successful and repeatable commercialization across numerous verticals. Carnegie Foundry speeds time to market, reduces costs, and increases success rates in deployment of U.S.-developed intellectual property into operational systems for critical industries.