Tech Valley News
Summit to Feature Robot Industry Pioneer
A true pioneer in the robot industry has just been secured as a featured speaker at the sixth annual Summit in Tech Valley, scheduled for April 26 at The Desmond Hotel & Conference Center in Colonie, New York.
Colin Angle, a Schenectady native, is the co-founder and CEO of iRobot Corp., a $142 million business and leader in the fast-growing robot industry. Angle, one of the world’s leading authorities in mobile robots with almost 20 years experience, has transformed iRobot from a Massachusetts Institute of Technology spin-off to one of the robot industry’s top companies.
“The addition of a robot industry pioneer such as iRobot Co-Founder and CEO Colin Angle illustrates the truly impressive and world-class lineup of speakers that we have assembled for the sixth annual Summit in Tech Valley,” said Ann Wendth, lead organizer of the Summit. “Angle is a perfect example of the kind of creativity and ingenuity that all business owners need to create truly successful companies on a large-scale basis.”
Under Angle’s guidance, iRobot has inspired a growing consumer robot industry by delivering the world’s first affordable home robot, the iRobot Roomba® Vacuuming Robot, with more than 1.5 million sold so far, and its newest sibling, the iRobot ScoobaTM Floor Washing Robot.
A long-time sailor, Angle is known for his ability to bring together and inspire a winning crew. His vision for the future of robots and keen sense of business strategy is behind iRobot’s successful identification and execution of expansion opportunities.
By setting a winning course of team empowerment, collaboration and innovation, Angle is enabling iRobot to deliver cutting-edge, market-leading robots that save time and lives. Today, more than 300 iRobot’s PackBot® Tactical Mobile Robots are at work in Iraq and Afghanistan. These robots have completed tens of thousands of missions and are credited with saving scores of soldiers’ lives.
The Summit in Tech Valley will take place at an outstanding facility, feature a one-day program, and bring back a very popular speaker – Union College graduate and manager partner of Ruxton Ventures LLC Mark Walsh – to once again serve as the master of ceremonies during the sixth-annual event this year. Already announced as speakers are leading technology executive Lawrence A. Bossidy, chairman of the board of Berkshire Bank; cyber security expert Howard Schmidt, president and CEO of R & H Consulting LLC; energy expert Michael E. Jesanis, president and CEO of National Grid USA; and, bioethics expert Dr. Glenn McGee, director of the Alden March Bioethics Institute.
The region’s premier high-tech gathering draws hundreds of leaders in the technology, business, government and academic communities, who listen to presentations and take part in interactive discussions concerning the region’s high-tech future. The event also features a $100,000 Business Plan Competition, a video presentation of the Tech Valley Innovative Educator Awards and breakout sessions on key topics relevant to the technology community.
Berkshire Bank, through its Greater Berkshire Foundation, will serve as the major sponsor of the sixth annual Summit in Tech Valley. Sponsors include FA Technology Ventures, National Grid, Times Union, Time Warner Cable and WNYT/NewsChannel 13. Red Herring is the media sponsor, Hiscock & Barclay LLP is the lunch sponsor and The Graduate College of Union University is the break sponsor. Chamber of Commerce sponsors include Bethlehem, Colonie, Fulton County, Guilderland, Orange County, Plattsburgh-North Country, Rensselaer County and Schenectady County.
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