Pittsburgh is finding its tech sweet spot
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Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios. Stock: Getty Images
Locals often say Pittsburgh shouldn't be like Boston or San Francisco, and the region's tech industry leaders are starting to agree.
Why it matters: Pittsburgh's tech sector has been trying to grow beyond being a secondary player to places like Silicon Valley, but some local companies believe avoiding emulating those markets will pay off down the road.
Driving the news: It's StartUP PGH Week, and Carnegie Mellon University is hosting events bringing together CEOs, leaders and scholars in tech fields.
What they're saying: CMU computer science professor Howie Choset said Tuesday that Pittsburgh's size fosters an ideal exchange between founders, investors and public officials that encourages innovation.
- "If the Pittsburgh entrepreneurial ecosystem would double in size, it would lose its edge," he said.
Yes, but: CMU vice president for research Theresa Mayer says the number of deep-tech startups is increasing and the growth is coming regardless.
- "This is Pittsburgh's moment to attract investment, scale companies and lead the next era of technology-driven growth."
Zoom in: Robotics Institute professor Deva Ramanan said Pittsburgh is setting itself as a hub for new companies looking to build tech in the physical space, like robotics, rather than competing with software hubs like Silicon Valley.
- Agility Robotics co-founder Damion Shelton agrees.
- "Pittsburgh's long-recognized leadership in robotics, AI, and health care make it well positioned to attract world-class companies and founders," Shelton tells Axios.
Case in point: Ramanan is also part of Octant Systems, a startup using AI to run world-building simulators for companies, and that company has a presence in Pittsburgh and New York City.
- CEO Francis Williams tells Axios that model is beneficial for raising funds and working more closely with companies like Gecko Robotics, one of Pittsburgh's unicorns.
Zoom out: Though still smaller than the big players, Pittsburgh's tech scene is growing.
- The region now has 11 unicorns — startups valued at more than $1 billion — up from seven last summer, according to Innovate PGH.
By the numbers: There are over 700 startups in the region, according to Allegheny County's Department of Economic Development.
- Over 500 are venture-backed.
- About $3.3 billion in venture capital has been raised since 2025.
What we're watching: Zach Malone of Magarac Venture Partners, a Bakery Square-based venture capital firm, said Pittsburgh's tech scene is changing rapidly and he expects it to reach its full potential in three years.
- "In three years, we won't be having this conversation about what is holding us back," he said.