Industry partnership: MassRobotics is the strategic partner of RoboBusiness.
- Event logistics: RoboBusiness 2026 runs Oct. 20 and 21 in Santa Clara, Calif., with the opening keynote at 9:15 a.m. PT, moderated by Steve Crowe of The Robot Report.
- Speaker lineup: Rodney Brooks (Robust AI), Jonathan Hurst (Agility Robotics), and Ken Goldberg (UC Berkeley) headline a session marking the show's 20th anniversary and forecasting the next 20 years.
- Commercial credibility: Brooks' ventures have shipped millions of Roombas and thousands of military robots; Hurst's Digit is the first commercially deployed humanoid in logistics.
Robotics is no longer a bet on the future — it's infrastructure. As the source material puts it:
"Robotics has evolved from a promising technology into a critical business tool across manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, agriculture, defense, and beyond."
That framing sets the stage for RoboBusiness 2026, which takes place Oct. 20 and 21 in Santa Clara, Calif. As the conference marks its 20th anniversary, its opening keynote will look forward rather than back, examining the technologies, markets, opportunities, and challenges that will shape the next 20 years of the industry.
The Opening Session
The keynote session starts at 9:15 a.m. PT and brings together three figures with deep pedigrees across research and commercialization:
- Rodney Brooks: , co-founder and chief technology officer of Robust AI
- Jonathan Hurst: , co-founder and chief robot officer of Agility Robotics
- Ken Goldberg: , William S. Floyd Jr. Distinguished Chair in Engineering at UC Berkeley
Steve Crowe, executive editor of The Robot Report, will moderate.
Track Records That Carry Weight
Brooks has worked in AI and robotics for over 50 years. His career spans the founding directorship of the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab (CSAIL) and a string of companies — beginning with an AI software venture in Palo Alto — that delivered millions of Roombas into homes and thousands of robots to the U.S. military, including ground robots deployed in Iraq. Robust AI, his latest company, is deploying intelligent powered carts to fulfillment centers and factories.
Hurst, a professor and co-founder of the Oregon State University Robotics Institute, focuses his research on enabling robots to physically interact with the world and people — compliance, dexterity, and mobility drawn from animals. His work on physical AI is exemplified by Digit, the first commercially deployed humanoid robot in logistics.
Goldberg directs the AUTOLab and the CITRIS "People and Robots" Initiative at the University of California Berkeley, and chairs Industrial Engineering and Operations Research, with secondary appointments including UCSF Radiation Oncology.
Registration Details
RoboBusiness 2026 is positioned as the leading event for commercial robotics developers, with MassRobotics serving as strategic partner. On the value proposition for attendees:
"Attendees at the show will gain the latest insights from experts in robotics and AI on cutting-edge research, industry trends, and innovative applications in sectors such as manufacturing, healthcare, agriculture, logistics, and more."
Early registration carries a financial incentive:
"Buy your full conference pass before Aug. 31 to save $200 on your registration and gain full access to all keynotes, technical sessions, networking receptions and special events."
Discounts are also available for academia, associations, and corporate groups.
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