Welp MagazineThis article showcases our top picks for the best Massachusetts based Industrial Automation companies. These startups and companies are taking a variety of approaches to innovating the Industrial Automation industry, but are all exceptional startups and companies well worth a follow.
We tried to pick companies across the size spectrum from cutting edge startups to established brands.
We selected these startups for exceptional performance in one of these categories:
- Innovation
- Innovative ideas
- Innovative route to market
- Innovative product
- Growth
- Exceptional growth
- Exceptional growth strategy
- Management
- Societal impact
Top Massachusetts Industrial Automation Companies
Data sourced from Crunchbase and SemRush.
Berkshire Grey
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
Berkshire Grey develops a materials handling system intended to automate omnichannel fulfillment.
Locus Robotics
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
Locus Robotics manufactures autonomous, mobile robots to support e-commerce for retailers and warehouse logistics providers. Its technology works collaboratively alongside workers to dramatically improve order productivity and increase fulfillment speed and throughput 2X-3X with near-perfect order accuracy, to ensure that consumers receive their orders as quickly and accurately as possible.
It was founded in 2014 and headquartered in Wilmington, Massachusetts.. .
6 River Systems
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
6 River Systems mission is to redefine fulfillment automation for e-commerce and retail operations. 6 River Systems was founded in 2015 by former Kiva Systems and Mimio executives and is based in Boston.
We are currently working with select customers on pilots through 2016. .
Soft Robotics
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
The business end of a robotic arm is the gripper. The March 2105 edition of Modern Materials Handling best describes the challenge when they wrote: “Perhaps more than any other element of robotic development in warehousing and distribution, the end-of-arm tooling, or gripper, is the place that can make or break a robot’s success.” Advancing gripper technology is the key to unlocking a new age of automation.
An age where they can automate tote pick and pack for grocery distribution, bin picking of soft and delicate parts, e-commerce order fulfillment, fruit harvesting, luggage handling, and consumer goods packaging. The US fresh produce packing market alone represents a $27 billion retail market searching for automation solutions.
Soft Robotics has demonstrated the ability to bring robotic product handling and packaging to this market. These are problems of adaptability, complexity, and cost.
The search for a more adaptable gripper has driven up the complexity of design to devices like servo grippers and complicated tool changing requirements. This complexity comes at a high price in gripper cost, the need for larger arms, and complex software and hardware integration.
Their revolutionary soft robotic technology, covered by more than 40 patents and applications, enables us to design and manufacture soft robotic hands that address the new unstructured world of automation and logistics. Through their propriety knowledge of actuator geometry, material selection, and operating envelope, they can tune actuators to be force limiting with NO CLOSED LOOP FEEDBACK system required.
Soft Robotics brings the highest level of adaptability, while lowering system complexity and total system cost. The adaptive nature of their technology allows a single grasper to handle an unprecedented range of objects, regardless of shape, size, or weight, with no tool or software changes between cycles.
MachineMetrics
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
Our fully automated manufacturing analytics solution provides visualizations of real-time manufacturing production data, predictive notifications, as well as historical analytics, allowing factory workers to make faster, smarter, more confident decisions based on real-time data. We’ve simplified IoT for the shop floor and are empowering manufacturers with the easiest to use and simplest to integrate software on the market.
MachineMetrics is driving manufacturing efficiency by more than 20% on average for our customers.. .
Rethink Robotics
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
Rethink Robotics helps manufacturers meet the challenges of an agile economy with an integrated workforce, combining trainable, safe and cost-effective robots with skilled labor. Its Baxter robot, driven by Intera, an advanced software platform, gives world-class manufacturers and distributors in automotive, plastics, consumer goods, electronics and more, a workforce multiplier that optimizes labor.
With Rethink Robotics, manufacturers increase flexibility, lower costs and can invest in skilled labor—all advantages in fueling continuous innovation and sustainable competitive advantage. Committed to accelerating robotics innovation in manufacturing and beyond, Rethink Robotics’ Baxter Research Robot gives academic and corporate research environments a humanoid robot platform with integrated sensors and an open software development kit for creating custom applications.
Based in Boston, Massachusetts, the company is funded by Bezos Expeditions, Charles River Ventures, Highland Capital Partners, Sigma Partners, Draper Fisher Jurvetson, and Two Sigma Ventures.. .
Realtime Robotics
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
Realtime Robotics developer of specialized processor for generating safe robot motion plans in micro-seconds. They are transforming automation in its broadest sense by enabling machines to recognize, respond and decide how and where to move in milliseconds, even in variable environments.
Their RapidPlan processor harnesses cutting-edge computer processing and software to end the trade-off between speed and safety that’s holding automation back today. Realtime Robotics is resolving these limitations with specialized hardware enabling fast, collision-free motion in unstructured environments, enabling vastly broader applications of robotics in industry, and autonomous vehicles that drive naturally, enabling more rapid adoption and proliferation..
Veo Robotics
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
Veo Robotics develops smart device solutions to enable high performance collaborative industrial robotics.
CIMCON Lighting
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
CIMCON Lighting provides software powered lighting controllers and Internet of Things enabled Smart City lighting management solution. The company helps cities run smarter while decreasing energy and maintenance costs.
The company’s solution has been implemented in over 50 cities in 16 countries. The company uses LED lighting to create a wireless sensor network and platform enabling cities to implement variety of Smart City applications to manage outdoor lighting, monitor air quality, meter electric vehicle chargers, improve public safety and security, optimize parking, traffic, installation of small cell towers, pedestrian safety, video analytics, and waste management to improve quality of life for city residents.
CIMCON Lighting was founded on 2012 and is headquartered in Bedford, Massachusetts.. .
American Robotics
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
American Robotics is an industrial drone developer that specializes in rugged, real-world environments. Through innovations in robot autonomy, machine vision, edge computing, and AI it has created a fully-automated drone capable of continuous, unattended operation.
The company was founded by Carnegie Mellon and Stanford roboticists with a shared vision for bringing robotic technology out of the lab and into the real world. American Robotics was established in 2016 and is headquartered in Marlborough, Massachusetts..
Digital Alloys
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
Digital Alloys develops high-speed, multi-metal additive manufacturing systems that print production quality parts, in almost any metal, at a fraction of the cost of other systems, making metal 3D metal printing economical for a greatly expanded mix of applications. Digital Alloys metal 3D printers have the unique ability to mix multiple metals in a solid part, enabling customers to push the limits of design and create new products with optimized thermal, electrical, magnetic, and mechanical properties.
It was formed in January 2017 as a spinout from the NVLabs division of New Valence Robotics, Inc. (NVBOTS).
The company is led by an experienced management team, and backed by Khosla Ventures. Digital Alloys is based in Burlington, Massachusetts..
Harvest Automation
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
Harvest Automation is a material handling company that provides robots to resolve manual labor problems across multiple industries.
ConnectM Technology Solutions
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
A full stack platform for remote asset monitoring and control, along with a proprietary AI Assistant to help carry out common maintain, repair and install functions. Using ConnectM technology, equipment manufacturers enjoy actionable data gathered by their equipment, asset owners can intelligently protect their investments, and equipment service providers can boost their on-the-job efficiency by 400%.
With over 180K connected assets across several light machinery industries, ConnectM is leading the charge to provide remote insight, efficiency, and control.. .
Southie Autonomy
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
Southie Autonomy develops a robot software that enables any industrial robot to be re-purposed and re-deployed by any person even without robotics expertise or even computer skills. It aims to help businesses recoup ROI faster by lowering time, cost, and skill barriers, in applications like kitting, palletizing, and simple assembly.
The company was founded in 2017 and is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts.. .
Boxologic
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
Boxologic is a robotic instant random-size packaging solution that uses cutting-edge technology to create the right-size box instantly for e-commerce fulfillment. Using today’s standard technology, the average shipped e-commerce package contains 40% void space, resulting in, at a minimum, a 60% increase in void filler use, a 15% increase in corrugated fiberboard use, and a 20% increase in transportation costs.
With Boxologic, boxes can be created on demand, in any size, with a minimal footprint and with just one SKU of corrugated fiberboard (CF). Boxologic robots require zero human intervention and create the lowest waste-rate in the industry..
IndustrialML, Inc.
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
IndustrialML is a Boston-based startup serving industrial customers. We make factories smarter.
Automation Engineering
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
Automation Engineering specializes in active alignment camera module assembly and test systems. Its modular platform machines perform multi-axis active optical alignment based on unique AEi patent-pending algorithms to enable the production of lens attachment to camera modules with the highest image quality, optimized throughput, and yield.
AEi’s modular system. The company was founded in 1990 and is headquartered in Wilmington, Massachusetts..
Empire Robotics
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
Empire Robotics, Inc. specializes in extremely flexible robotic end-effectors that leverage the jamming phase transition of granular materials.
Founded in 2012, Empire’s team of soft robotics experts, materials scientists, and experienced automation engineers are serving diverse technology fields including agile manufacturing automation, collaborative robotics, prosthetics, and mobile military robotics. Across a broad range of applications, Empire’s products enable secure grasping and manipulation of widely varying objects with simple inexpensive tools..
Motus
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
Motus is the most accurate vehicle management and reimbursement platform available.
Cognex
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
Cognex Corporation is the worldâ€:tm:s leading provider of vision systems, vision software, vision sensors and surface inspection systems used in manufacturing automation. Cognex is also a leader in industrial ID readers.
Cognex vision helps companies improve product quality, eliminate production errors, lower manufacturing costs, and exceed consumer expectations for high quality products at an affordable price.. .
Alert Innovation
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
Alert Innovation is a start-up, with a mission to re-invent retailing through robotics.
Feature Labs
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
Feature Labs builds tools and APIs for data science and feature engineering automation. The startup, with roots in research begun at MIT, was founded by Max Kanter, Kalyan Veeramachaneni and Ben Schreck.
Feature Labs products have their roots in research by its founders at MIT’s Computer Science and AI Lab at MIT, also known as CSAIL.. .
Teradyne
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
Teradyne is a supplier of automatic test equipment used to test complex electronics used in consumer electronics.
CastleOS
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
CastleOS, designed to work with all home automation protocols, is an integrated software suite for controlling automation equipment.
Industrial Defender
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
Industrial Defender is the global leader in automation system management. For more than a decade, the company has successfully developed and delivered solutions for operators of industrial control systems.
With deep domain expertise and a laser-focus on industrial control systems, Industrial Defender products enable customers to ensure the availability and reliability of their key industrial processes. Leveraging the industry’s first unified platform for security, compliance and change management, Industrial Defender solutions enable customers to reduce costs and risks, and enhance operational excellence.
Over 400 companies in 21 countries rely on Industrial Defender technology to monitor, manage and protect their operations and processes.. .
Barrett Technology
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
Since 1990, Barrett Technology has pioneered core technology underlying new levels of flexibility in articulated arms and hands. Today, Barrett is the leader in advanced robotic manipulators, earning a place in the Guinness Book of World Records for its advanced manipulator technology.
Barrett provides an unmatched degree of versatility to support the broadest array of applications.. .
H2Ok Innovations
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
An IoT-enabled analytics platform helping businesses dependent on water with proactive environmental management.
Gibson Engineering
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
Gibson Engineering is a solutions provider for world-class manufacturers of industrial automation products.
Vicor Corporation
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
Vicor Corporation designs, manufactures and markets innovative, high performance modular power components, from bricks to semiconductor-centric solutions, to enable customers to efficiently convert and manage power from the wall plug to the point-of-load. Complementing an extensive portfolio of patented innovations in power conversion and power distribution with significant application development expertise, Vicor offers comprehensive product lines addressing a broad range of power conversion and management requirements across all power distribution architectures, including CPA, DPA, IBA, FPA® and CBA.
Vicor focuses on solutions for performancecritical applications in the following markets: enterprise and high performance computing, telecommunications and network infrastructure, industrial equipment and automation, vehicles and transportation and aerospace and defense electronics.. .
RCML Robot Control Meta Language
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
RCML is software for programming industrial robots.
Hstar Technologies
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
Founded in 2007 by leading MIT roboticists, Hstar Technologies Corporation pursues groundbreaking robotics research and development with the support of private investors and more than $7 million in grants from the U.S. Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program.
Hstar develops industry-leading robots to enhance automation quality in warehouse, healthcare and research settings, making improvements in the areas of automation intelligence, safety, flexibility and human productivity. Hstar’s team is comprised of innovative, highly trained robotics engineers with more than thirty years of collective robotics development experience, including work with the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence (CSAIL) Laboratory, development of telerobotic surgery and artificial limb / biomimetic robot technology, and autonomous robotic systems..
MRSI Systems
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
MRSI Systems develops, manufactures and sells ultra-high precision die bonding systems.
iAutomation
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
iAutomation focuses on the development of automation product solutions for various industries.
Double E Company
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
Double E is a premier manufacturer of highly-engineered components for web converting applications. Double E’s product offering includes critical wear components such as chucks, brakes, shafts, slitters, web guides, core cutters and roll movers.
These products secure, straighten, apply tension, cut and move rolled raw materials through continuous manufacturing processes.. .
1stVision
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
1stVision offers machine vision components and solutions for factory automation, medical imaging and industrial machine vision applications.
Vertex Distribution
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
Vertex Distribution is a distributor of fasteners, rivets, hose clamps, screws, carriage & lag bolts in North America.
Methods Machine Tools
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
Methods Machine Tools is a supplier of precision machine tool and additive solutions.
KINGSTAR
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
KINGSTAR provides hardware and software solutions for the automation industry.
Rexa
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
Rexa is a manufacturing company that develops a unique brand of actuation technology located in West Bridgewater.
GeoScout
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
GeoScout is an industrial automation platform that helps several sectors such as infrastructure, agriculture, transportation, and more.
Vaccon Company
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
Vaccon Company is an innovator in vacuum technology that includes vacuum pumps, vacuum cups, end-of-arm tools, and accessories.
Process Sensors
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
Process Sensors is a manufacturer of on-line near infrared moisture sensors for the continuous monitoring and measurement of moisture.
FormDocs
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
FormDocs LLC has been developing the FormDocs family of electronic forms design, form filler and forms automation software since 2003. Their goal is to provide their customers with rich forms functionality through simple-to-use menus and commands.
With over five-hundred thousand small business users and leading corporate customers – including Walt Disney, Public Television, and British Airways – FormDocs form filling solutions are among the most popular and widely used in the world. FormDocs LLC is a privately held technology company in the United States with headquarters in the Boston Massachusetts area..
Milara Inc
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
Milara Inc is an Industrial Automation company.
DJ Instruments
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
DJ Instruments is a leading designer and manufacturer of custom pressure, load/force and torque sensors. They believe in meeting specific challenges with specific solutions.
They design, manufacture and test sensors for a wide variety of applications and industries. That’s why they routinely invent unique sensing devices that best answer their customers’ particular needs.
Their well-equipped kanban lean manufacturing facility allows us to accommodate the wide variety of challenges that their customers approach us with. While DJ Instruments maintains a small company culture, they also have the resources of a large corporation.
Their parent company, Dynisco, is the international leader in pressure, temperature measurement and control products. Their support gives us the freedom and flexibility to create uniquely innovative solutions for all situations..
Ruland
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
Ruland manufactures shaft collars, spring rings, curved jaw, bellows, beam, rigid, flexible, and disc couplings.
GxP Automation
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
GxP Automation’s mission is to provide our customers with automated control and monitoring solutions to help them produce research and products that meet regulatory and internal quality assurance requirements. They will provide these solutions through a variety of products best suited to meet the customer’s requirement at a competitive profitable cost.
They will deliver these solutions with their most valued resource, their employees and their expertise, who will share in the profits generated by their successful completion of projects for satisfied customers.Their values are centered on business partnership philosophies. In an industry that requires fast, reliable, and successful project execution, there must be a trust between all parties for fair and equitable pricing for all services.
They believe that our customers deserve the very best they can offer and their customers can be sure that they are receiving the value they deserve.. .
The Portland Group
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
The Portland Group is a wholesaler of plumbing, heating and air conditioning products.
Consolidated Sterilizer Systems
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
Consolidated Sterilizer Systems is an industrial automation company located in Billerica.
Control Technology Corporation
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
The dawn of the electronic industrial control Company.
Shaughnessy & Ahern Crane
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
Shaughnessy & Ahern provides crane rental, heavy rigging and specialty hauling services to the construction industry.
Zize Bikes
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
Zize Bikes is an online store that sells electric bikes and its accessories.
ConceptSpring
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
The world is changing rapidly. Corporations must keep pace to survive and thrive.
Yet large existing organizations are designed to be repeatable and predictable, not agile and nimble. ConceptSpring helps corporations move from a “react” to a “rebound” mentality, by training and empowering employees to embrace the nimble entrepreneurial mindset and skills that they need to navigate rough waters..
Stapla Ultrasonics Corporation
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
Schunk Sonosystems is a subsidiary of Schunk Sonosystems, a member of the Schunk Group, headquartered in Heucheleim, Germany.
Edgetech Instruments
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
Edgetech Instruments engages in the design and manufacture of moisture and oxygen measurement devices.
ActiveVOS
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
A service oriented process automation platform .
Food Tech Structures
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
Food Tech Structures is a construction company located in Rockland.
Eastern Industrial Products
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
Eastern Industrial Products provides precision cut die-cut gaskets, standard, and custom molded rubber seals.
Northeast Engineering
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
Northeast Engineering is a distributor and representative covering the northeastern United States for fluid control component manufacturers. Northeast Engineering was founded in 1952 by three engineers who believed there was a need for a technical distributor of instrumentation products in New England.
Following the direction of their founders, they distribute or represent the finest companies in fluid controls and systems. They pride themselves on providing quality fluid control Products and Services.
Their name is synonymous with customer service. Their customers look at them as an extension of their engineering departments, frequently bringing them in during the earliest phases of product design, instrument refurbishment and facility upgrade.
Through the efforts of their Sales Staff, they have enjoyed consistent growth in sales over the last ten years.. .
Ewing Controls
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
Ewing Controls is a control solutions for power generation and industry.
E&S Technologies
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
E&S Technologies is a distributor that supplies water pumps, sanitary equipment, regulators and engineering products.
Automation Concepts & Technologies
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
Automation Concepts & Technologies is a Computer & Network Security company.
BSC Industries
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
BSC Industries is an industrial distribution company.
Improved Consumer Products
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
Improved Consumer Products is a chimney manufacturing company that specializes in air-cooled TDW and solid pack Non-Tdw products.
Lenze Americans
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
Lenze Americans is an industrial automation company located in Uxbridge.
INDUSTRIAL & BIOMEDICAL SENSORS CORPORATION
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
Industrial & Biomedical Sensors Corporation (IBS) manufactures accurate, automated, non-invasive blood pressure & pulse rate monitors.
Kenneth Crosby
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
Kenneth Crosby distributes cutting tools, abrasives, fasteners, gauges, and industrial tools.
O-D Tool & Cutter
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
O-D Tool & Cutter is an industrial automation and manufacturing company.
STAFFORD MANUFACTURING CORP
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
Stafford Manufacturing Corp. is a manufacturer of shaft collars, rigid shaft couplings and problem-solving mechanical components.
Longwatch
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
Longwatch provides integrated video surveillance and process management for control system operators.
JF Shaw Company
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
JF Shaw Company provides the design and integration of industrial automation components.
Intelligent Automation Systems
Crunchbase | Website | Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin
Intelligent Automation Systems designs, builds and implements high-end precision automation solutions.
This article was written by David Friedmman from Welp Magazine. The editor for this article was Tess Page. If your company is featured in this article and you want to have amendments made please contact us on: Admin@welpmagazine.com.
Alternatively you may write to us at: Welp Magazine/Fupping Ltd, First Floor, 61-63 Rochester Pl, London NW1 9JU.
