Innovation Works Annual
Venture Expo
Showcasing early-stage technology companies ready for investment in one of the country’s top startup regions.
PLAN TO ATTEND
September 15-16, 2026
Pittsburgh, PA
This year’s Venture Expo will be held in conjunction with Carnegie Mellon University’s Startup Week! Investors will be welcomed to our Oakland neighborhood where some of the region’s top universities foster groundbreaking innovation.
- Investor Welcome Reception
- AI & Robotics Venture Day
- Deal room meetings
- And more…
Discover breakthrough technologies shaping foundational industries
Venture Expo is an exclusive investor showcase spotlighting the most promising early-stage startups in artificial intelligence, robotics, health tech, and deep tech—born and built in Southwestern Pennsylvania.
- Energy & Infrastructure
- Bio & Health Tech, Digital Health
- Industrial Automation
- Autonomous Systems
- Advanced & Frontier Materials
- Deep Tech and Robotics
- More!
Where Investors Go For Early Access To What’s Next
Tech investors get access to curated, pre-selected founder talent, research spinouts, and early-stage companies in one of the country’s most concentrated hubs for AI, robotics, health tech and deep tech commercialization.
30+ High-Potential Founders
High-potential founders delivering sharp, investor-ready pitches. All teams are pre-screened and venture-backable.
1:1 Deal Room Meetings
Meet the founders behind the tech through hours of available time slots for one-to-one meetings. Schedule follow-up that matters to your next deal.
Networking for long-term connections
Network with fellow investors and founders with a special welcome dinner event and reception time throughout the event.
Venture Expo is an invitation only event and the intended audience is limited to “Accredited Investors” as defined in Regulation D under the Securities Act of 1922, as amended, and members of the press.
Pittsburgh Builds
Pittsburgh builds the foundations for industry. As the birthplace of robotics and machine learning, the region is now a rising AI infrastructure corridor powering the next generation of scalable tech companies.
Regional Highlights
- $2.12B in VC funding in 2025, led by AI & Life Sciences
- Seven unicorns and counting, including Gecko Robotics, Skild AI and Abridge
- AI infrastructure boom: Amazon, Microsoft, and Northern Data investing billions in regional compute capacity
- Nationally-ranked programs at CMU in AI, Robotics, and deep tech, and at University of Pittsburgh for Medical Research
- Vibrant regional support networks like the Pittsburgh Robotics Network, Pittsburgh Technology Council, LifeX and Life Sciences Alliance
Event Partners
See you at Venture Expo 2026!
Applications to attend are now open! Visit iwventureexpor.org for the latest details on the event and apply to attend. We’ll see you in Pittsburgh for Venture Expo 2026!
