Silicon Valley Robotics
Silicon Valley Robotics is a not-for-profit 501c6 industry association founded in 2010 that convenes the San Francisco Bay Area's robotics and physical AI ecosystem — approximately 1,000 companies, 50+ R&D labs, and partner universities — through free membership, networking events, summits, and a weekly newsletter.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersOakland, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Silicon Valley Robotics does
Silicon Valley Robotics (SVR) is a not-for-profit 501c6 industry association founded in 2010 and headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area, operating with a 1-10 person team under founder and managing director Andra Keay. Its mission is to support innovation and commercialization of robotics technologies by connecting the regional cluster of approximately 1,000 robotics and physical AI companies — covering humanoid robotics, industrial automation, surgical robotics, autonomous systems, AI-native robotics platforms, and sensors/perception/autonomy software — with researchers, manufacturers, and investors.
SVR's product surface is programmatic rather than software-based: a free membership program (by application or invitation) for California robotics companies, a regular networking event series called Bots Bevs & Devs held in Santa Clara and San Francisco, an invite-only Leaders Circle convening, the Hard Tech Venture Summit & Robotics Manufacturing Workshop, the SF Bay Area Robotics Events Calendar, and a weekly "Robots & Startups" newsletter distributed via Substack. The organization sits adjacent to Stanford, UC Berkeley, four other UC universities, San Jose State University, Santa Clara University, three U.S. National Laboratories, and applied research institutions such as MBARI, with 50+ commercial robotics R&D labs in the cluster.
SVR does not develop proprietary technology and generates no disclosed revenue. Its business model is sponsorship-driven: Gold-tier partners (Intel, Foxglove, Mind Robotics) and a Silver tier fund operations, while membership itself is free. The value proposition is access to deal flow, talent, and visibility within the most concentrated robotics ecosystem globally, where member companies have collectively raised USD 50B+ in equity funding through the end of 2025.
Silicon Valley Robotics firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Silicon Valley Robotics
- Legal name
- Silicon Valley Robotics
- Website
- https://svrobo.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Silicon Valley Robotics is a not-for-profit 501c6 industry association founded in 2010 that convenes the San Francisco Bay Area's robotics and physical AI ecosystem — approximately 1,000 companies, 50+ R&D labs, and partner universities — through free membership, networking events, summits, and a weekly newsletter.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Silicon Valley Robotics industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Robotics Industry Association Services
- NAICS
- Professional Organizations (81392), Business Associations (813910)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Robot Software, Autonomy Stacks & Simulation (ROS, digital twins) (HDAAAIAK)
Keywords
Where Silicon Valley Robotics is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Oakland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Silicon Valley Robotics business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Membership dues: Free membership for robotics companies operating in California, funded by members through sponsorship arrangements.
- Sponsorship revenue: Operations funded by members, companies, or organizations sponsoring activities. Sponsorships include Gold, Silver, and other partnership tiers. Interested parties can contact directly for sponsorship opportunities.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Free membership for California robotics companies |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Silicon Valley Robotics product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Silicon Valley Robotics is a not-for-profit 501c6 industry association that delivers membership services, recurring networking and educational events, and ecosystem coordination to connect robotics startups, researchers, manufacturers, and investors in the San Francisco Bay Area. Its core offerings include a free membership program for California robotics companies, networking events such as Bots Bevs & Devs, leadership events like the Leaders Circle, the annual Hard Tech Venture Summit, and the weekly Robots & Startups newsletter.
Product overview
Silicon Valley Robotics is a not-for-profit 501c6 industry association founded in 2010 that operates as a networking and support organization rather than a software product company. The organization provides a portfolio of membership services, events, and community programs designed to accelerate robotics innovation and commercialization. Key offerings include the SVR Membership Program (free for California robotics companies), networking events like Bots Bevs & Devs, the Leaders Circle, and the Hard Tech Venture Summit. The organization connects startups, researchers, manufacturers, and investors with essential resources, mentorship, and funding opportunities within the San Francisco Bay Area robotics ecosystem.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- SVR Membership Program Free membership program for robotics companies operating in California, providing access to the leading global robotics community, mentorship, funding opportunities, and industry resources through Silicon Valley Robotics' events and ecosystem programs.
- Bots, Bevs & Devs Recurring networking event series in the San Francisco Bay Area that brings together robotics and physical AI professionals through short talks and demos, held monthly in Santa Clara and San Francisco.
- Silicon Valley Robotics Leaders Circle Invite-only leadership event connecting robotics innovators, researchers, and industry leaders for collaboration and knowledge sharing within the Silicon Valley robotics ecosystem.
- Hard Tech Venture Summit & Robotics Manufacturing Workshop Annual summit combining venture capital perspectives with hands-on robotics manufacturing workshops, designed for robotics startups, investors, and manufacturing partners.
- Robots & Startups Newsletter Weekly newsletter delivered via Substack that aggregates robotics industry news, startup updates, and community announcements for robotics founders, researchers, investors, and enthusiasts.
- SF Bay Area Robotics Events Calendar Aggregated online calendar of robotics and physical AI events across the San Francisco Bay Area, including Silicon Valley Robotics-hosted events and partner events, accessible through Luma subscription.
Quantifiable outcome
- USD 50B+ cumulative equity funding raised by member companies through end of 2025
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Silicon Valley Robotics
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Silicon Valley Robotics technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Silicon Valley Robotics partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- IntelcoreIntel is a Gold partner of Silicon Valley Robotics. As a technology leader in computing and hardware, Intel supports the robotics ecosystem through sponsorship of SVR activities and events, providing visibility and engagement with the robotics community.
- FoxglovecoreFoxglove is a Gold partner of Silicon Valley Robotics. As a robotics software company, Foxglove supports the SVR ecosystem through partnership and sponsorship, gaining visibility among robotics innovators and startups.
- Mind RoboticscoreMind Robotics is a Gold partner of Silicon Valley Robotics. The company supports SVR activities as a sponsor while benefiting from association with the leading robotics community and access to ecosystem resources.
- Stanford UniversitycoreStanford University is part of the SVR ecosystem's research and institutional depth. The university's robotics research programs connect with the Bay Area robotics ecosystem, providing talent, research collaboration, and innovation pathways.
- UC BerkeleycoreUC Berkeley is a key academic institution in the SVR ecosystem, contributing research depth and talent to the robotics community. The university's robotics programs are integrated into the Bay Area robotics innovation ecosystem.
- U.S. National LaboratoriesminorThree U.S. National Laboratories adjacent to the SVR cluster contribute to robotics research, particularly in advancing autonomy in extreme environments. Applied research institutions like MBARI also support this collaboration.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Silicon Valley Robotics competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- MassRobotics: Boston-based independent robotics innovation hub and accelerator that convenes startups, researchers, manufacturers, and investors. Most directly comparable peer as an independently operated cluster organization focused on commercializing robotics technology.
- Pittsburgh Robotics Network: Industry association promoting the Pittsburgh robotics cluster. Directly comparable mission (cluster-building, commercialization, ecosystem branding) but serves a competing geographic hub rather than California.
Broad incumbents
- Association for Advancing Automation (A3): Long-established trade association covering robotics, vision, motion control, and AI across multiple verticals. Larger and broader in scope than SVR but uses a similar membership/sponsor/events model and serves overlapping audiences in automation.
- ARM (Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing) Institute: Public-private Manufacturing USA institute focused on robotics manufacturing. Comparable as a robotics-focused consortium with government, academic, and industry stakeholders; broader funding base but narrower thematic scope.
- IEEE Robotics and Automation Society: Global professional society for robotics researchers (SVR co-hosts IEEE Humanoids). Comparable in convening researchers and industry but operates as a scholarly society rather than a regional cluster-building nonprofit.
Others
- The Robot Report: Leading robotics industry media outlet covering startups, funding, and technology. Adjacent to SVR's ecosystem focus but operates as a news/media business rather than an association.
- RoboBusiness: Long-running robotics industry conference and media brand. Comparable in serving the commercial robotics ecosystem but driven by event/media revenue rather than nonprofit membership.
- Automate Show: Major North American automation and robotics trade show operated by A3. Comparable as a flagship industry gathering point but operates at significantly larger scale and is event-led rather than community-led.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Silicon Valley Robotics social profiles
Digital presenceSilicon Valley Robotics financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Silicon Valley Robotics leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Silicon Valley Robotics funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Silicon Valley Robotics M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Silicon Valley Robotics
What does Silicon Valley Robotics do?
Silicon Valley Robotics is a not-for-profit 501c6 industry association that delivers membership services, recurring networking and educational events, and ecosystem coordination to connect robotics startups, researchers, manufacturers, and investors in the San Francisco Bay Area. Its core offerings include a free membership program for California robotics companies, networking events such as Bots Bevs & Devs, leadership events like the Leaders Circle, the annual Hard Tech Venture Summit, and the weekly Robots & Startups newsletter.
Is Silicon Valley Robotics a public or private company?
Silicon Valley Robotics is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Silicon Valley Robotics founded?
Silicon Valley Robotics was founded in 2010. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Silicon Valley Robotics based?
Silicon Valley Robotics is headquartered in Oakland, United States, in the North America region.
How does Silicon Valley Robotics make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Membership dues are the primary driver. The others are sponsorship revenue.
Who are Silicon Valley Robotics's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are MassRobotics and Pittsburgh Robotics Network. Broad incumbents are Association for Advancing Automation (A3), ARM (Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing) Institute and IEEE Robotics and Automation Society. Others are The Robot Report, RoboBusiness and Automate Show.
Does Silicon Valley Robotics have an API?
No public API is recorded for Silicon Valley Robotics.
What industry is Silicon Valley Robotics in?
Silicon Valley Robotics's product category is Robotics Industry Association Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAAAIAK, Robot Software, Autonomy Stacks & Simulation (ROS, digital twins). Its NAICS code is 81392 and its SIC code is 8600.