Burcu Akinci
Dean, College of Engineering
Burcu Akinci focuses on emerging energy technologies and using AI to monitor energy use.
Artifical IntelligenceClimate-resilient Environmental Systems and TechnologiesGrid-interactive, High-performance, and Electrified BuildingsComputer-Aided Design (CAD)Cyberphysical Systems (CPS)
Meredith Grelli
Director of Project Olympus and Assistant Dean of Entrepreneurship Initiatives
Meredith Grelli is dedicated to helping people navigate business development, no matter the stage.
Venture CapitalEntrepreneurshipArtificial IntelligenceFamily Business SuccessionNon-Profit Organizations
Martial Hebert
University Professor and Dean
Martial Hebert performed research on interpreting 3D data from range sensors for obstacle detection and object recognition.
RoboticsAutonomous SystemsRobotics and Autonomous VehiclesComputer VisionInterpretation of Perception Data
Graham Neubig
Associate Professor
Graham Neubig's research is concerned with language and its role in human communication.
Machine LearningNatural Language ProcessingMachine TranslationSpoken Language Processing
Pittsburgh has evolved from a city known for steel and manufacturing into a nationally recognized hub for AI, robotics, advanced manufacturing and entrepreneurship. This hub connects journalists with the CMU faculty behind that transformation, from the research powering new companies to the founders, investors and students shaping what comes next.
Connect with CMU experts below to explore the founders, research and ideas driving Pittsburgh's startup economy.
Featured Event
CMU Startup Week 2026
September 14–18, Pittsburgh
Startup Week is back and bigger than ever: over 2,000 founders, investors, researchers, students and alumni converging on campus for five days of building, pitching and connecting. This year CMU Startup Week anchors StartUP PGH, a new citywide push bringing 15+ regional partners together for a full week of entrepreneurship and innovation across Pittsburgh.
Tue, Sept 15
Lab to Market
Deep tech founders commercializing world-class research. For deep tech investors and PhDs/faculty.
Wed, Sept 16
AI & Robotics Venture Day
A broad, investable lineup of startups. For investors and founders.
Thu, Sept 17
CMU Spark
Keynote, tech talks and a startup job fair. Top startups recruiting CMU's top talent.
Fri, Sept 18
CMU S4: Swartz Student Startup Showcase
The earliest-stage student startups on campus. Open to all.
Presented by the Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship
Connect with Experts
More experts coming soon.
Featured Topics
Why Pittsburgh? The Startup Ecosystem
Pittsburgh has evolved from a city known for steel and manufacturing into a nationally recognized hub for AI, robotics, advanced manufacturing and entrepreneurship. CMU experts can help journalists explore how universities, startups, investors, corporations and government are working together in Pittsburgh — and what that means for the future of research universities as engines of economic development.
Experts
Meredith Meyer Grelli – Entrepreneurship ecosystem, commercialization | Vice Provost for Entrepreneurship, Tepper School of Business
Burcu Akinci – Engineering innovation, commercialization | Dean, College of Engineering
Women Leading Pittsburgh's Startup Economy
Women founders and innovators are playing an increasingly important role in Pittsburgh's startup ecosystem. CMU experts can speak to the women building companies, commercializing research and leading investment and innovation, as well as the networks and resources helping more women move from ideas and research to entrepreneurship.
Experts
Julie Downs – Decision science, behavior change | Head, Social & Decision Sciences, Dietrich College
Jana Kainerstorfer – Biomedical device innovation | Professor, Biomedical Engineering
Meredith Meyer Grelli – Entrepreneurship, venture leadership | Vice Provost for Entrepreneurship
Burcu Akinci – Engineering leadership, commercialization | Dean, College of Engineering
From Research to Company:
Commercialization & Faculty Success
Some of the most promising startups begin with a faculty member asking a research question. CMU experts can spotlight faculty who have moved discoveries from the lab into the marketplace — examining the journey from basic research to intellectual property, startup formation, investment and real-world impact, and what happens when university research becomes a product or a company.
Experts
Xi (Charlie) Ren – Faculty-founded biotech, tissue engineering | Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering
Meredith Meyer Grelli – Commercialization, tech transfer | Vice Provost for Entrepreneurship
Burcu Akinci – Engineering commercialization | Dean, College of Engineering
Danith Ly – Faculty founder, nucleic acid therapeutics | Professor of Chemistry; Founding Director, Institute for Biomolecular Design & Discovery
Robotics and the Problems
Startups Are Actually Solving
Robotics is moving rapidly beyond factories and research labs into everyday life. Instead of focusing solely on the technology, CMU experts can help reporters focus on the problems entrepreneurs are trying to solve — from health care and climate change to transportation, manufacturing, cybersecurity and disaster response — and how CMU startups are applying robotics and emerging technology to consequential, real-world challenges.
Experts
Martial Hebert – Robotics, computer vision | Dean, School of Computer Science
Burcu Akinci – Infrastructure, engineering applications | Dean, College of Engineering
Changliu Liu – Human-robot interaction, control systems | Associate Professor, Robotics Institute
Jean Oh – Robot navigation, real-world autonomy | Associate Research Professor, Robotics Institute
Meredith Meyer Grelli – Entrepreneurship ecosystem | Vice Provost for Entrepreneurship
Julie Downs – Decision science, behavior change | Head, Social & Decision Sciences, Dietrich College
From Bench to Bedside:
Biotech & Health Innovation
CMU's biomedical and health-tech researchers are a growing part of Pittsburgh's startup pipeline, developing devices and therapies aimed at cancer detection, traumatic brain injury, neuromuscular disease and organ repair. As Startup Week 2026 lineups are finalized, these faculty are strong candidates to speak to the science behind emerging health-tech ventures coming out of CMU labs.
Experts
Tzahi Cohen-Karni – Bioelectronics, nanomaterials | Professor, Biomedical Engineering & Materials Science
Jana Kainerstorfer – Non-invasive optical imaging (cancer, TBI) | Professor, Biomedical Engineering
Burak Ozdoganlar – Medical & biomedical device manufacturing | Ver Planck Professor, Mechanical Engineering
Xi (Charlie) Ren – Regenerative tissue & organ engineering | Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering
Danith Ly – Nucleic acid therapeutics | Professor of Chemistry; Founding Director, Institute for Biomolecular Design & Discovery
AI, Creativity and the
Next Generation of Founders
As AI becomes increasingly capable, human creativity, imagination and problem-solving may become more — not less — valuable. CMU experts can explore the intersection of AI and creativity: what humans uniquely contribute, how entrepreneurs use AI as a tool for invention rather than simple automation, and what happens when computer science, design, the arts and entrepreneurship come together.
Experts
Martial Hebert – AI, computer vision, robotics | Dean, School of Computer Science
Graham Neubig – Large language models, NLP | Associate Professor, Language Technologies Institute
Jean Oh – Creative physical AI, human-centered robotics | Associate Research Professor, Robotics Institute
Julie Downs – Human decision-making, behavior | Head, Social & Decision Sciences, Dietrich College
Meredith Meyer Grelli – Entrepreneurship ecosystem | Vice Provost for Entrepreneurship