Pittsburgh’s Recent Federal Funding and VC and Private-Equity Tech Investment
The Southwestern Pennsylvania region is moving forward with tangible activities to help the autonomous technology sector grow and create jobs: $62.7 million in federal funding will help Pittsburgh grow its autonomy sector. And in this year’s third quarter, venture capital investment in Pittsburgh’s tech sector totaled $171.96 million across 19 local firms: Pittsburgh bucks national […]
Gov. Wolf Signs Driverless Vehicle Legislation into Law & Other Autonomy News
This new law permitting driverless vehicles on public roads is a big win for the autonomous vehicle industry in Pittsburgh and a necessary step towards commercializing this tech and remaining competitive. Pennsylvania joins over a dozen states that permit similar testing arrangements, as reported by Pittsburgh Inno. There’ve been a number of recent stories involving […]
Smith’s Viewpoint: What’s Next for that $62.7 Million?
“And now our region will be moving forward with tangible activities to help the autonomy industry grow and create jobs — not only in R&D, but in manufacturing and in an entire supply chain of industries. The spotlight is shining in our direction — every entity involved will need to rise to the challenge and […]
Groundbreaking Marks Launch of New Development at Carrie Furnace Site
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT: Desiree Niccoli, desiree@alschulerpr.com, 412-535-5701 GROUNDBREAKING MARKS LAUNCH OF NEW DEVELOPMENT AT CARRIE FURNACE SITE Pictured from Left to Right: Dawn Keezer, Pittsburgh Film Office Director; Donald F. Smith, Jr., RIDC President, County Executive Rich Fitzgerald, Congressman Mike Doyle. Pittsburgh, PA—October 13, 2022—Federal, state, county and local officials and community leaders joined […]
Pittsburgh Inno: Autonomous Technologies Trailblazing in Space
Pittsburgh’s space robotics cluster has strong ties to university talent and has received NASA funding for projects that heavily focus on autonomous systems. Article written for Pittsburgh Inno and can be read in full here.
Pittsburgh Business Times REQ: Pittsburgh Suburban Office Market Rebound
“Our industrial stuff continues to be strong, and the flex and tech flex stuff continues to go pretty well,” said RIDC President Donald Smith. “But everybody I know is still scuffling a little bit with suburban office…I think pure office product is going to be dependent on how and when people go back to the […]
Post-Gazette Editorial: Carrie Furnace on the Cusp of Long-awaited Breakthrough
“The Carrie Furnace site is surely one of the finest pieces of riverfront property anywhere in America, and a prime example of redeveloping industrial land while respecting industrial heritage. Under the stewardship of Rivers of Steel, and with support from RIDC and Allegheny County, it’s beginning to live up to that potential: history, commerce, entertainment […]
Austin Business Journal: Shared Facilities Make Testing of Autonomous Vehicles More Practical and Cost Effective
Government partnerships are key to making strides in economic development, and a major project to support the growing autonomous vehicle industry has just been greenlighted in the Pittsburgh region. More on the PennSTART project happening in Westmoreland County. Article written for the Austin Business Journal and can be read in full here. Other articles written […]
Southwestern PA to Receive $62.7 Million to Boost Autonomy Economy
The funding “will enable us to knit [assets] together into a cohesive system and add some resources for activities that have been underfunded historically,” including building a more diverse talent pool of workers, said Donald Smith, RIDC President. Smith was part of the steering committee that applied for the federal grant. The development corporation, along […]
PennDOT, Pa. Turnpike, RIDC of Southwestern PA to Collaborate on State-of-the-Art Safety, Training and Research Facility
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) Secretary Yassmin Gramian announced that the department, the Pa. Turnpike Commission, and the Regional Industrial Development Corporation (RIDC) of Southwestern PA are partnering on site planning and design for the Pennsylvania Safety, Transportation and Research Track, or PennSTART – a state-of-the-art facility envisioned to benefit emergency responders, transportation technology companies, […]
Smith’s Viewpoint: Pennsylvania’s CNI Tax Rate Cut is Just a Start
“Our region and our state have many attributes, but there are going to be tens of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in potential revenue we could realize if we show the same innovative spirit and determination in our policymaking that our entrepreneurs and business leaders show every day in creating and building their […]
TribLIVE – $1M grant will help prep former Sony industrial site in East Huntingdon for tenants
RIDC Westmoreland Innovation Center has received a state grant that is expected to cover close to half the costs of planned infrastructure improvements.
Post-Gazette – From Furnaces to Filmmaking: State Awards $7.6 Million for Sound Stage Work at Mon Valley Steel Site
RIDC is grateful for the State’s continued support. This will help fund the site preparation, infrastructure, road, parking, and utility work needed to pave the way for the construction of the sound stage. Article can be read in full here. Other Media Coverage: Wolf announces investments in developing pad-ready sites in Allegheny, Fayette counties Wolf […]
RIDC’s Carrie Furnace Project Gets More Than $2 million in PIDA Loan Funding
Media Coverage: Press Release – Governor Wolf Announces More Than $2 Million in Funding to Support Business Growth in Allegheny and Cumberland Counties Pittsburgh Business Times: Wolf administration announces $2.25 million PIDA loan to RIDC for Carrie Furnace project Pittsburgh Post-Gazette – RIDC gets $2.5 million loan for new building near Carrie Furnaces
RIDC, URA Fairywood Site Gets Its First Tenant, Construction of New Warehouse to Begin
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: RIDC CONTACT: Desiree Niccoli, desiree@alschulerpr.com, 412-535-5701 URA CONTACT: Gigi Saladna, gsaladna@ura.org, 412-304-4042 RIDC, URA FAIRYWOOD SITE GETS ITS FIRST TENANT, CONSTRUCTION OF NEW WAREHOUSE TO BEGIN Pittsburgh, PA—June 23, 2022—Regional Industrial Development Corporation of Southwestern PA (RIDC) and the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh (URA) announced that Ferguson Enterprises, LLC (NYSE: FERG), […]
Northpointe Industrial Park Renamed “RIDC Armstrong Innovation Park”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Media Contact: Desiree Niccoli, desiree@alschulerpr.com, 412-535-5701 NORTHPOINTE INDUSTRIAL PARK RENAMED “RIDC ARMSTRONG INNOVATION PARK” RIDC TAKES OWNERSHIP OF TWO SITES FOR INDUSTRIAL FLEX BUILDINGS; 100 SINGLE FAMILY HOMES ALSO PLANNED Aerial of the newly renamed RIDC Armstrong Innovation Park South Buffalo Township, PA—June 22, 2022—Regional Industrial Development Corporation of Southwestern Pennsylvania […]
Smith’s Viewpoint: Building Economic Momentum with Next Governor
The latest from Don Smith on regional economic development penned in the Pittsburgh Business Times. “Our region is undergoing an economic renaissance, transitioning to gain national recognition as home to companies in autonomous technology, artificial intelligence, robotics and life sciences. It is also true that our state’s population growth in the past decade was the […]
Agility Robotics, a New RIDC Tenant, Raises $150 Million in Capital
Agility Robotics, a firm specializing in robotic legged mobility, and a new tenant in RIDC’s Chocolate Factory building in Lawrenceville, announced on Friday that it raised $150 million in capital investment. “Agility Robotics will be in good company at the Chocolate Factory—joining the many robotics, AI and tech firms operating along Robotics Row,” said Donald F. […]
StartUps to Watch
We were proud to be a sponsor of Pittsburgh Inno’s StartUps to Watch event last night. As a part of RIDC’s public mission to spur economic growth, our work includes anticipating and addressing the real estate needs of startups in the innovation industries that are fueling our region’s economy and job creation. Understanding and providing […]
RIDC, URA Enter Into Partnership Agreement to Develop 25-Acre Vacant Site in Fairywood
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: RIDC CONTACT: Desiree Niccoli, desiree@alschulerpr.com, 412-535-5701 URA CONTACT: Gigi Saladna, gsaladna@ura.org, 412-304-4042 RIDC, URA ENTER INTO PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT TO DEVELOP 25-ACRE VACANT SITE IN FAIRYWOOD Pittsburgh, PA—April 12, 2022—Regional Industrial Development Corporation of Southwestern PA (RIDC) and the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh (URA) have entered into a partnership agreement to develop […]
City & State News Publication Recognizes RIDC President Don Smith in Pittsburgh POWER 100 List
City & State’s Pittsburgh Power 100, developed in partnership with Pittsburgh freelance writer Jordan Snowden, recognizes the city’s movers and shakers in politics, organized labor, business, health care and other sectors – and ranks them based on their influence in the region. Our president Don Smith was among those recognized.