Among the engineering design and development fields, automation technology creators face a unique conundrum. On the one hand, innovation is essential to new automation technology development, and new entrants are often well suited to provide it. At the same time, it can be difficult for these small companies to break into an already-saturated field like industrial technology. Because of this, startup incubators and accelerators play an important role in facilitating their growth. Incubators can grant companies facilities to work in, resources such as equipment and expertise, and opportunities to acquire funding via a network of potential partner companies.
These organizations take a light-touch approach, and typically house companies for several years while they engage in their own, self-directed process of growth. By contrast, accelerators take a more hands-on approach and work with a smaller selection of companies more intensively for a brief period of time. If picked up by an accelerator, a startup can expect highly specialized mentorship and education as well as direct investment.
Recently, Boston-based incubator MassRobotics has announced that, in addition to the resident companies it hosts, it will be delivering a new Amazon Web Services Robotics Startup Accelerator. The aim of this initiative is to address challenges commonly encountered in the development of automation, robotics, and the Industrial Internet of Things technologies by providing participating companies with the resources they need to prototype, test, and commercialize their products. In addition, companies will have access to Amazon Web Services' cloud technical resources and partner network.
The accelerator will take place over four weeks and will include technical and business mentorship opportunities. Ideal applicants include robotics hardware and software startups seeking to use Amazon Web Services as a key component in their products and offerings. Moreover, companies who wish to be involved must be privately held startups with less than $10 million in revenue and less than $100 million in funding raised to date. No prior experience with Amazon Web Services or participation in previous accelerators is required.
Companies selected to participate will receive: Specialized training in the deployment of Amazon Web Services for robotics applications; up to $10,000 in promotional credits for the use of Amazon Web Services Internet of Things, robotics, and machine learning services; mentoring from experts; opportunities for co-marketing with Amazon Web Services through the publication of blogs and case studies as well as proof-of-concept projects; guidance pertaining to business development and investment from MassRobotics; and networking opportunities through contact with other participating startups and the Amazon Web Services partner network.
