Titan Robotics was founded in 2014 out of Carnegie Mellon University’s National Robotics Engineering Center. Since 2016, much of its work has been done in a 1,000-square-foot space on CMU’s campus.
Now, this aerospace-focused company needs to move — but rather than heading to the Strip’s Robotics Row — they’re preparing to call the South Side home. By the end of July, Titan Robotics plans to complete their move into a 10,000-square-foot leased space inside 2516 Jane Street.
“As we’re growing we need our own lab space to be able to set up and do experiments,” says Stuart Lawrence, Titan Robotics CEO and president.
The headquarters, designed by 2516 Jane Street Associates owner and architect Ross Bianco, of Ross Bianco Architects, will include about 6,000 square feet of lab space. Titan’s work has included creating a laser coating removal application for the U.S. Air Force. They’re also starting to dabble in the manufacturing industry, including welding.
The remainder of the space will be used as offices.
In the last few years, the company has experienced a 300 percent year-over-year growth. It now has 10 full-time employees and eight part-time staffers.
The labs in the building were designed in 2002, so they’re getting some renovation. Bianco says the new space will have a “California industrial” feel. Security is also important, Bianco says, for a company whose client list includes the U.S. Air Force and commercial aerospace corporations.
“What I wanted was a space that met with the expectations of the aerospace industry,” says Lawrence. “We knew we couldn’t bring some four-star general or political appointee into a strip mall or an old warehouse. They’re not going to entrust us with multi-million dollar contracts unless we look like a company that can be entrusted with that amount of money.”
Most of the company’s current work is “taking people out of hazardous environments” and letting the robots do the work instead. In the case of the laser coating removal process, the laser itself is so powerful that a person could never do the job.
Titan Robotics will join a group of “diverse renters” at 2516 Jane Street. They will be located on the first floor of a building that includes research labs and office spaces.
Although the Strip’s Robotics Row could have been a logical choice, Bianco points out that more technology companies are moving into the South Side.
“We also wanted it for our clients, whenever they come in, to have a place to eat, sleep and just be able to walk to our office,” he says. “SouthSide Works was nice for that.”
Even as Titan moves into its new headquarters, Lawrence says, they’re already looking to the future. Next up? They’re planning to get into production. That will eventually require even more space to house their robots.