The MassRobotics Form and Function Challenge pavilion is returning to the Robotics Summit & Expo.
The 2026 Robotics Summit & Expo will be at the Thomas M. Menino Boston Convention and Exhibition Center on May 27-28. Attendees of the premier event for commercial robotics developers will be able to see the robotics ecosystem in New England and beyond, thanks in large part to MassRobotics.
“MassRobotics has been proud to support the Robotics Summit since its inaugural year in 2018,” stated Tom Ryden, executive director of MassRobotics. “The rapid growth of the robotics industry is clearly reflected in the evolution of the Robotics Summit itself, showcasing cutting-
MassRobotics said it is “the world’s largest independent, nonprofit robotics hub,” providing robotics and physical AI startups with workspaces, mentorship, and connections with investors and industry partners. The organization is based in Boston’s Seaport Innovation District, and its resident startups recently surpassed $2 billion in total funding to date.
MassRobotics is a strategic partner of WTWH Media, which produces The Robot Report, Automated Warehouse, and the Robotics Summit & Expo.
Learn about physical AI, healthcare, and women in robotics
On Day 1 of the 2026 Robotics Summit & Expo, Marita McGinn, director of growth at MassRobotics, will present promising startups in the Physical AI Showcase. Last month, the cluster and partners NVIDIA and AWS announced the second Physical AI Fellowship cohort.
On Day 2, Joyce Sidopoulos, co-founder and chief of operations at MassRobotics, will co-host the annual Women in Robotics Breakfast. The event, which requires an add-on ticket, will also feature Mikell Taylor, a keynote speaker and the director of robotics strategy at General Motors.
MassRobotics will again host the Women in Robotics Breakfast at the 2026 Robotics Summit & Expo.
MassRobotics recently recognized Maja Matarić from the Viterbi School of Engineering at the University of Southern California with its Robotics Medal and Tania Morimoto of the University of California, San Diego, with its Rising Star in Robotics Medal.
In addition, Juan Necochea, director of strategic partnerships at the organization, will moderate the MassRobotics Healthcare Startup Showcase. In January, the organization revealed its fifth cohort for that program, powered by FESTO, Mitsubishi Electric Automation, and Novanta.
MassRobotics to present startups, career fair, challenges
On the expo show floor, MassRobotics resident startups will show their innovations in its Startup Alley. The organization will also present the MassRobotics Physical AI Accelerator and the Healthcare Robotics Startup Catalyst.
From 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. ET on May 27, MassRobotics will host its Technical Career Fair. Past career fairs attracted as many as 600 people, and hiring companies can also still sign up.
In addition, Russell Nickerson, partner engagement liaison at MassRobotics, plans to offer demonstrations from university teams in the fourth annual Form & Function Challenge. The competition’s stated goal is “to build a robot that delivers a compelling form factor specific to its tasks while accomplishing a useful function.”
On May 28 in the Engineering Theater, the grand prize winner will receive $10,000, and the second-place, third-place, and Audience Choice winners will each receive $1,000.
Attendees will see a range of innovations at the MassRobotics Form & Function Challenge.
More about the 2026 Robotics Summit & Expo
The Robotics Summit & Expo will bring together more than 5,000 developers focused on building robots for a variety of industries. Attendees can gain insights into the latest enabling technologies, engineering best practices, and emerging trends.
This year’s keynotes include:
- “Building Reliable Robots at Scale — Safety, Determinism, and Real-Time Performance” with QNX, Amazon, and Locus Robotics
- “The State of Humanoids” with leaders from Agility Robotics, ASTM International, Boston Dynamics, and RealSense
- “What Makes a Robot Worthy?” with GM’s Mikell Taylor
- Fireside chat with with Noland Arbaugh, the world’s first Neuralink user
Beyond the keynotes and conference sessions with more than 70 speakers, there will be 200-plus exhibits and demos on the show floor.
This year’s networking events include the Mix & Mingle reception on May 27. Returning to the show are the RBR50 Showcase and the ticketed RBR50 Awards Dinner, which will honor this year’s winners of the annual RBR50 Robotics Innovation Awards.
For sponsorship opportunities, visit the event site or contact Colleen Sepich at csepich[at]wtwhmedia.com. The summit is co-located with DeviceTalks Boston, an event focusing on healthcare and medical systems.
Register now for the Robotics Summit & Expo.
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