On June 21, TechCrunch will host a virtual TC Sessions: Robotics 2022. No TechCrunch event is complete without a pitch-off featuring early-stage start-ups from around the world. If you are a founder in the robotics space – hardware or software side 0, you can apply here† Who are you going to pitch for? The glitterati of the robotics ecosystem.
The pitch-off consists of three startup companies presenting on the virtual stage for four seconds, in front of the entire TC Sessions audience and our expert jury panel.
The winning team will receive a coveted spot in TechCrunch Startup Battlefield 200, free exhibit space at TechCrunch Disrupt 2022, and the chance to win $100,000 in stock-free prize money.
Tired of missing your chance to sign up for the pitch-off? Do not be afraid! TechCrunch is here for you – you have until the end of the day to sign up – here†
And now for our fantastic judges:
Ayanna Howard, Ohio State University
Successful roboticist, entrepreneur and educator Ayanna Howard, PhD, became Dean of the Ohio State University College of Engineering on March 1, 2021. Previously, she was also president of the Georgia Institute of Technology School of Interactive Computing in the College of Computing. as founder and director of the Human-Automation Systems Lab.
Her career spans higher education, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and the private sector. dr. Howard is the founder and chairman of the board of Zyrobotics, a Georgia Tech spin-off company that develops mobile therapy and educational products for children with special needs. Zyrobotics products are based on the research of Dr. Howard.
Among the many awards, Forbes named Dr. Howard on America’s Top 50 Women In Tech list. In May 2021, the Association for Computing Machinery named her the ACM Athena Lecturer in recognition of fundamental contributions to the development of accessible human-robot systems and artificial intelligence, along with breaking new ground to broaden participation in computing.
dr. Howard received her bachelor’s degree in computer engineering from Brown University, her master’s and PhD in electrical engineering from the University of Southern California and her MBA from Claremont Graduate University.”
Ayah Bdeir, littleBits (acquired by Sphero)
Ayah Bdeir is an entrepreneur, engineer and social activist. She is the inventor of littleBits, the electronic building block that has transformed STEM education for millions of children around the world. For more than a decade, Bdeir’s work has revolved around empowering anyone to become an inventor – modularizing and democratizing electronics, pioneering new ways of learning through play, and exploring the relationship between technology and creativity. to rethink. Bdeir has focused mainly on empowering underrepresented communities, especially girls, with the tools to become the changemakers of tomorrow. In recognition of her work, Bdeir has received numerous awards, including: BBC 100 Most Influential Women (2019), a TED Fellowship and she appeared on the cover of The New York Times Magazine (2011). Her inventions are in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and she holds more than a dozen patents.
Bdeir graduated from MIT Media Lab and the American University of Beirut. She is from Beirut, Lebanon, and lives and works in New York.”
“Kelly is a partner at DCVC, an early-stage deep-tech VC with $3 billion AUM. An engineer at heart, she invests in teams that solve some of the world’s most complex industrial, automation, supply chain and sustainability problems. At DCVC, she led investments such as Agility Robotics, Fulfil.ai, SafelyYou, SmarTex and Brimstone.
Kelly’s interest has always been how to use data and optimization to push boundaries faster. From her past career as a quantitative fixed income trader to building a new product line for a global investment bank, she has focused on building the best models, structures and sales teams to optimize results. Kelly received a BS and MS from Columbia Engineering and an MBA from Wharton, where she was president of the Entrepreneurship Club. In her spare time, Kelly can cruise the chilly waters of the Bay Area on her electric hydrofoil.”