Robot Revolution: New England's Thriving Robotics Cluster

With more than 100 robotics companies in Massachusetts alone – employing more than 3,000 people and generating sales of more than $1.9 billion – the region has become host to a growing sector of organizations developing new and exciting robotic technologies for a wide range of industries. Mark Belanger, Director of Robotics Products of iRobot in Bedford, MA, Adam Norton, Manager of the New England Robotics Validation and Experimentation (NERVE) Center at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, and Tom Ryden, COO and Co-Founder of VGo Communications in Nashua,




NH, will discuss the current state of robotics, what makes New England ripe for the industry, and which companies lead the pack. Join us for this North Shore Technology Council breakfast event – on Wednesday, June 25, 2014, 7:00 – 9:00 AM (7:00 AM networking and continental breakfast; 7:45 AM program begins). Danversport Yacht Club, 161 Elliott Street, Danvers, MA. Register for this event at www.nstc.org. The registration fee is $25 for NSTC members and $50 for non-members.  E-mail events@nstc.org for more information. Sponsored by North Shore Community College.

OUR SPEAKERS:

Mark Belanger is Director of Robotics Products at iRobot in Bedford, MA. Belanger is an experienced leader in technology development and fielding, and currently serves as the Director of U.S. Government Programs at iRobot – working for the Defense and Security Business Unit. Prior to joining iRobot, Belanger worked for BAE Systems as well as Insight Technology (now L-3 Warrior Systems), where he held various engineering, engineering management, and program management positions. With a technical background in lasers/electro-optics and systems engineering, Belanger holds a Master's of Science in Physics from the University of Massachusetts Lowell and a B.S. in Physics from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.

Adam Norton is Manager of the New England  Robotics Validation and Experimentation (NERVE) Center at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. The NERVE Center is a dedicated research, testing, and training facility, whose mission is to improve the development of robotic systems by academia, corporations, and government agencies by facilitating evaluation throughout the design cycle. The NERVE Center has collaborated with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in the development of new metrics and standards for evaluating robots, and Norton is an active participant in the ASTM Standards Committee on Homeland Security Applications; Operational Equipment; Robots (E54.08.01). 

Tom Ryden is Chief Operations Officer and Co-Founder of VGo Communications. As COO, Ryden leverages a broad business background in emerging technology companies. Previously, he was Director of Government & Industrial Sales & Marketing at iRobot, and President and Co-founder of Exeter Analytical, Inc. – a manufacturer of analytical instrumentation. Ryden also worked for Teledyne Leeman Labs – where he served in numerous roles including Director of Customer Support and Controller – and at Lotus Development Corp. as a program manager. Ryden holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Vermont and an MBA from Bentley College in Waltham, MA.

About the North Shore Technology Council

The North Shore Technology Council (NSTC) is a non-profit, volunteer-led organization with a mission to build a strong ecosystem for the success of technology businesses North of Boston by facilitating collaboration, networking, professional growth and economic development in a collegial fashion. The NSTC welcomes the participation of senior executive and employees of technology businesses, entrepreneurs, companies that support technology businesses, academic and governmental units, and nonprofits.  The council is on the Web at www.nstc.org and on Twitter @NSTechCouncil. Its office is at the Cummings Center in Beverly, Massachusetts.