Iván Hernández Dalas: Boston University team wins MassRobotics Form & Function Challenge at Robotics Summit

2026 MassRobotics Form & Function Challenge teams

2026 Form & Function Challenge teams at the Robotics Summit & Expo. Source: MassRobotics

BOSTON — At the Robotics Summit & Expo last week, MassRobotics announced the winners of its fourth Form & Function Robotics Challenge. Fifteen teams from colleges and universities from around the globe showcased their robotics and automation projects, competing for cash prizes.

Competing teams for this event included MIT, Purdue University Indiana, Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), Laval University Quebec, University of Pennsylvania, Manipal Academy Dubai, University of Waterloo, Ontario, UMass Boston, University of British Columbia, Boston University, Northeastern University, and Tufts University. The goal of this challenge was for higher ed teams to create a robot that both looks good (form) and works (function).

The Form & Function Challenge required university teams to create a robotics or automation project that delivers a compelling form factor specific to its tasks while accomplishing a useful function. The challenge is open to teams from around the globe, and encourages cross-collaboration between state-of-the-art software and hardware providers, including MassRobotics strategic sponsors.

This year, components, services and software were donated to teams by MassRobotics sponsors AMD, Dassault Systèmes, Harmonic Drive, Maeden, maxon, Mitsubishi Electric, and Reynolds & Moore.

2026 Form & Function Robotics Challenge Winners

  • First Place and Audience Choice: Boston University with AGROBOT T.O.M., a gantry-mounted, precision-harvesting robot designed for indoor/vertical farming; the system autonomously traverses a growbed, uses lidar and a vision/machine learning pipeline to identify fruit, assesses ripeness/damage via color and size cues, and gently harvests only qualified produce with a soft robotic gripper
  • Second Place: Northeastern University with its Planar Mechanism for Metrology
  • Third Place: WPI with its Centrifuge Loader for Lab Automation
  • Honorable Mention: Purdue University and Columbia University for partnering and co-developing with good spirit of the competition

“The Form & Function Challenge continues to provide exposure to student projects, whether they are a step into what is possible as a commercial application or simply to spark the ideation and creation of a startup,” stated MassRobotics.

The nonprofit organization fosters and supports STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education and robotics innovation through various programs.

The Form & Function Challenge is MassRobotics’ premier global competition to celebrate higher ed students and connect them with valuable sponsor support to showcase compelling projects each year at the Robotics Summit & Expo. The Form & Function robotics teams each get booth space at the event, and the competition is judged by a panel of robotics industry experts.

Boston University's AGROBOT T.O.M. won First Place in the 2026 Form & Function Robotics Challenge.

Boston University’s AGROBOT T.O.M. won First Place in the 2026 Form & Function Robotics Challenge. Source: MassRobotics

MassRobotics showcases startups, physical AI, and healthcare

Boston-based MassRobotics also hosted a Startup Alley that showcased 13 of its resident startups including: Algorized | ATDev | Ava Robotics | Canvair | Endox AI | General Robotics | LabyrinthAI | Nexterity Inc. | RealBotics Inc. | Retail Robotic Solutions Inc. | SYNTHIUM | TP7 AI Robotics | XYZ Robotics

MassRobotics said the alley demonstrated the breadth of innovation emerging from its resident startup community and the growing pipeline of companies advancing physical AI and automation.

MassRobotics resident startups exhibited at the Robotics Summit & Expo.

MassRobotics resident startups exhibited at the Robotics Summit & Expo. Source: MassRobotics

In addition, MassRobotics, NVIDIA, and AWS highlighted the second cohort in their Physical AI Fellowship: Burro | Config | Deltia | Haply Robotics | Luminous Robotics | Roboto AI | Telexistence | Terra Robotics | WIRobotics

The fellowship is an eight-week virtual program designed to accelerate high-potential startups at the intersection of robotics and physical AI. Fellows gain access to experts from the AWS Generative AI Innovation Center (GenAIIC), AWS compute and cloud credits, NVIDIA hardware and software support, and connections across MassRobotics’ global robotics network.

The Robotics Summit brought together all nine companies of this global cohort. Each was featured prominently on the expo floor and delivered pitches to an audience of investors, developers, and corporate customers. The event provided a powerful platform for fellows to demonstrate their cutting-edge technologies and forge meaningful connections with potential partners and investors.

Burro brought a field robot to Boston.

Burro exhibited its Grande field robot at the 2026 Robotics Summit & Expo. Source: MassRobotics

The Healthcare Robotics Startup Catalyst program powered by FESTO, Mitsubishi Electric, and Novanta promoted its fifth cohort of startups, which presented demonstrations and their achievements made during this year’s mentorship program. Cohort startups included: Concerto Biosciences | Enchanted Tools | Hesy Tech | Humotech | HyperSpectral | Inception Robotics | Lupa Robotics | Ras Labs | Revolve Surgical | Whelix | Zeus Robotics

Attendees saw healthcare robotics innovations firsthand, from a patient-transfer system to surgical tool handling.

Enchanted Tools' Mirokai was among the MassRobotics healthcare startups at the 2026 Robotics Summit & Expo.

Enchanted Tools was among the healthcare and educational startups in Boston. Source: MassRobotics

Women in Robotics Breakfast, Technical Career Fair focus on the robotics workforce

The Women in Robotics Breakfast drew a full house, bringing together industry leaders, innovators, and advocates committed to advancing diversity in the robotics sector. It featured a conversation with Mikell Taylor, head of robotics strategy at General Motors, and Joyce Sidopoulos, co-founder and chief operating officer of MassRobotics.

The breakfast provided a forum for discussions around leadership, innovation, and the future of robotics. It also offered opportunities for attendees to build new connections, strengthen existing relationships, and champion greater representation of women in robotics leadership.

Mikell Taylor and Joyce Sidopoulos at the Women in Robotics Breakfast.

GM’s Mikell Taylor and MassRobotics’ Joyce Sidopoulos at the Women in Robotics Breakfast. Source: MassRobotics

The MassRobotics Technical Career Fair, sponsored by Würth Professional Solutions, brought together more than 25 hiring companies from Boston to California. It attracted nearly 1,000 job seekers, underscoring the strength and continued growth of the robotics talent ecosystem.

Building on this momentum, MassRobotics plans to host its next career fair on Sept. 25 as part of RoboBoston, its largest public-facing event bringing together industry leaders, innovators, and the broader robotics community.

Wurth Professional Solutions sponsored the Technical Career Fair.

Wurth Professional Solutions sponsored the Technical Career Fair. Source: MassRobotics

Strategic partners seek to grow the robotics ecosystem

As a strategic partner with WTWH Media for the 2026 Robotics Summit & Expo, MassRobotics played a key role in shaping the event through industry expertise, strategic guidance, and its extensive global robotics network. The summit brought together robotics leaders, innovators, investors, and end users from around the world for thought-provoking discussions on the future of robotics and automation.

Nearly 5,000 attendees gained valuable insights from industry experts, while more than 200 exhibitors in this year’s exposition showed a range of cutting-edge technologies and solutions, reflecting the continued growth and momentum of the robotics ecosystem.

“We continue to see incredible momentum at the Robotics Summit & Expo, with growing participation from across the global robotics ecosystem,” said Steve Crowe, chair of the Robotics Summit & Expo and executive editor of The Robot Report.

“MassRobotics has been an outstanding strategic partner, helping bring together startups, industry leaders, investors, and innovators from around the world,” he added. “Their leadership and deep engagement within the robotics community play a major role in making Boston the center of robotics innovation, and we’re excited to keep building on this success together.”

More from MassRobotics

The MassRobotics startup ecosystem continues to expand at a rapid pace, now approaching 100 current startups in residence. The organization has supported more than 250 startups since its founding in 2017, which it said reflects its sustained momentum and growing role as a global hub for robotics innovation.

Upcoming MassRobotics events include:

  • Robotics Founders & Funders Capital Forum on June 10: Register here.
  • Calling all early-stage robotics companies: MassRobotics is organizing the Robotics Startup Pitchfest at IROS 2026. Review eligibility criteria and prize details, and submit applications here.
  • The MassRobotics 9th Annual Robot Block Party will take place Sept. 26 in Boston’s Seaport district. Sign up to request exhibition space to showcase robotics technology or provide a demo here. For sponsorship, inquire here.

The post Boston University team wins MassRobotics Form & Function Challenge at Robotics Summit appeared first on The Robot Report.



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