The innovation challenge is between Boston and San Francisco

The battle to be the top provider of innovation is being fought out between Boston and San Francisco. On one side, there is robotics, on the other, the new frontiers of connectivity between different systems. Entrepreneurs, managers, journalists and representatives of the Lombard Manufacturers’ Association visited a number companies in the Boston district, including MassRobotics, the company on Channel Street, whose mission is to create the next generation of robots, providing businesspeople and innovative start-ups with the workspace and resources they need to develop, prototype, test and market their products and solutions.

MassRobotics is testing self-driving cars. “What is possible in Italy is probable here in Boston,” was the comment of some TechMission participants, when they visited MassRobotics, a company committed to revolutionising not only the automotive world, but also the those of agriculture, defence, personal care, logistics and home security.

Robotics is applied to all macro-sectors, and it is estimated that, by 2025, the market will grow to $67 billion, with an overall impact on the economy of $1 trillion. And Italy is not excluded from this market. It is no coincidence that the slides circulated during the meeting at MassRobotics also showed the robot being developed at Piaggio.

The #techmission delegation was able to see the advanced logistics for ecommerce created by Locus Robotics of Wilmington, whose motto is: “Transform your productivity without transforming your warehouse”. The design director is Ilaria Raniero, who is originally from Verona. “We produce robotics systems for ecommerce warehouses, such as fashion. With our systems, we’re able to increase warehouse productivity by 200%, reduce the order cycle by 50%, and reduce staff training times by 80%. Next year, we want to expand into Europe, starting with the United Kingdom.

In Boston, there are also examples of old manufacturing, which are undergoing a profound transformation, like the legendary shoe brand Reebok, where new materials and additive production techniques are researched. And the multinational textile company, Flex Manufacturing, which employs 200,000 people worldwide, whose senior director is another Italian, Emanuele Bianchini. “Advice for a young Italian who wants to come and make his fortune in the States? Well, the first characteristic they ask for here, after technical skills, is the ability to work hard. If you do, finding your way here is possible.”

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