Advanced Manufacturing
One of the most widely used definitions of advanced manufacturing
Vertical Markets
Education
Introduction of new ideas or practices into educational programs, systems, or structures.
Energy
Energy Innovation exists in areas ranging from carbon management to nuclear reactor design, wind turbine manufacturing, materials and sensors, electric power distribution and control, shale gas production, and advanced building systems.
Lean Tech
One of the more visible categories nationally, lean tech is a category of businesses hyper-focused on developing launching businesses with a repeatable and scalable business model at quickly and at low cost. These companies can range from social commerce to Software as a Service (or SaaS) to Big Data.
Life Sciences
The life sciences comprise the fields of science that involve the scientific study of living organisms, such as plants, animals, and human beings, as well as related considerations like bioethics. In this region, life sciences can also extend to include healthcare services technologies.
Medical Devices
A medical device is an instrument, apparatus, implant, in vitro reagent, or similar or related article that is used to diagnose, prevent, or treat disease or other conditions, and does not achieve its purposes through chemical action within or on the body (which would make it a medicine).
Robotics
Robotics is the branch of technology that deals with the design, construction, operation and application of robots and computer systems for their control, sensory feedback, and information processing. These technologies deal with automated machines that can take the place of humans, in hazardous or manufacturing processes, or simply just resemble humans. Many of today’s robots are inspired by nature contributing to the field of bio-inspired robotics.
Social Innovation
Social innovation seeks to extend and improve civil society through improved processes or better methods. It involves the development and implementation of new strategies, concepts, ideas and organizations that meet social needs of the modern and developing worlds. This may include working conditions, community development, waste management, and general health of a population. Pittsburgh has a unique ability to pursue social innovation because or our low cost of living and strong moral fiber.
“Other”
Ideas and businesses that don’t fit comfortably into any of the other categories. As ideas grow in this category.