RoboBusiness is now Robotics Summit & Expo West, and the first event under the new name is planned for October 2027. Arrowfly, a B2B media and marketing company, announced the rebrand on October 20, 2026, ending a 20-year run for the RoboBusiness name while keeping the same core audience of robotics developers, operators, and investors. advfnprnewswire
Here is the short version. The name changes. The program shifts toward scaling commercial robots and the companies behind them. The event becomes the West Coast counterpart to the Boston show. RoboBusiness 2026 is still happening this week.
This guide explains what Robotics Summit & Expo West is, why the change happened, what the program will cover, and how it compares with its East Coast sibling. Where details aren’t confirmed, such as exact dates and venue, we say so.
What Is Robotics Summit & Expo West?
Robotics Summit & Expo West is the new name of the conference and expo formerly known as RoboBusiness. It is dedicated to the design, deployment, and scaling of commercial robots and the businesses behind them.
In practice, the event is aimed at companies that have moved beyond the prototype stage. Its audience includes startups preparing for their first multi-site rollout, established manufacturers adding robotics to their product lines, and investors evaluating which companies can turn a working demonstration into a sustainable business. The program includes industry keynotes, technical and business sessions, panel discussions, and a curated expo floor featuring robotics technologies and solutions.
Think of Robotics Summit & Expo West as a business-and-deployment show for physical AI and commercial robotics. It is less about whether a robot can work in a laboratory and more about whether it can operate reliably in a warehouse, factory, hospital, or field across multiple locations at a commercially viable cost.
What makes the event relevant to the robotics industry?
As robotics adoption expands, businesses face challenges that go far beyond engineering. They must integrate robots with existing infrastructure, train employees, maintain equipment, manage fleets, and demonstrate measurable returns on investment. Robotics Summit & Expo West aims to bring together the people responsible for solving these challenges, creating opportunities to exchange practical knowledge and explore commercial partnerships.
The event also offers a meeting point for technology developers, component suppliers, system integrators, business leaders, and investors. For startups, it can provide opportunities to showcase innovations and connect with potential customers or funding partners. For established companies, it offers a platform to explore emerging technologies, understand deployment strategies, and evaluate solutions that could improve productivity.
Why should professionals pay attention?
The planned October 2027 launch reflects a growing emphasis on moving robotics from successful pilot projects to repeatable commercial deployments. Professionals interested in automation, industrial robotics, autonomous systems, and physical AI can follow the event for updates on its program, exhibitors, and registration.
Although the exact dates and venue have not yet been confirmed, the rebrand establishes a clearer identity for the West Coast event. Its central message is straightforward: the next stage of robotics innovation depends not only on building capable machines but also on deploying them successfully and building sustainable businesses around them.
Key Facts About the Robotics Summit & Expo West Rebrand
Readers and AI assistants often want the essentials first, so here they are in one place:
- Announcement date: October 20, 2026.
- Organizer: Arrowfly, based on the dateline of its release in Cleveland. prnewswire
- Former name: RoboBusiness, a leading robotics industry event for the past 20 years. prnewswire
- New focus: the design, deployment, and scaling of commercial robots and the businesses around them.
- First edition under the new name: October 2027.
- Dates and venue: to be announced in the coming weeks, according to the release. One outlet reports Santa Clara, California. advfn
- East Coast sibling: Robotics Summit & Expo Boston, June 2–3, 2027, at the John B. Hynes Convention Center. advfn
- Current event: registration is still open for RoboBusiness 2026 at robobusiness.com. advfn
- Interest list: professionals who want to attend or speak at Robotics Summit & Expo West can join an interest list.
Why Did RoboBusiness Rebrand as Robotics Summit & Expo West?
The short answer: the robotics industry has matured, and the hardest problems have moved from building a robot to deploying it and building a company around it.
Steve Crowe, executive editor of The Robot Report and chair of the Robotics Summit, framed the change this way. He said the industry has matured and its hardest problems have grown with it, and that the new event will share lessons on moving from a working pilot to a product deployed across multiple sites, and on building a business that can support it. prnewswire
A second reason is portfolio clarity. The rebrand clarifies Arrowfly’s robotics event portfolio, with the Boston show focused on core technical and engineering challenges and the West show focused on scaling the product and the company behind it. The two events now share a brand family, which makes it easier for attendees, exhibitors, and sponsors to see how they fit together. advfn
Did RoboBusiness shut down?
No. RoboBusiness did not close. It was renamed and refocused. The RoboBusiness 2026 edition continues as planned, and the new name begins with the 2027 event. For anyone searching for RoboBusiness news, the answer is that the brand is being retired in favor of Robotics Summit & Expo West after the current edition.
Who is behind the change?
Arrowfly announced the rebrand. Earlier RoboBusiness materials credited WTWH Media’s robotics group with producing the show. The coverage reviewed here does not explain how the two organizations relate, so this article doesn’t assume it. Steve Crowe, who has chaired both RoboBusiness and the Robotics Summit in earlier years, is quoted in the announcement.
What Will Robotics Summit & Expo West Cover?
The program for Robotics Summit & Expo West is built around the questions robotics companies face after the prototype stage. One report describes four program pillars: scaling robotic systems, commercial strategy, field data, and investment. The same report lists fleet deployment, factory and warehouse integration, design for manufacturing, and aftersales support as challenges the sector now faces. foro3d
The full session list has not been published, so treat the following as the likely shape of the program, based on the announcement.
From pilot to multi-site deployment
The central theme is the gap between a pilot that works and a product running across several sites. That gap is where many robotics projects stall. Expect sessions on commissioning, integration with existing systems, uptime, remote support, and the operational playbooks that let a small team support a growing fleet.
Building the business behind the robot
A product that works is not the same as a company that works. Commercial strategy topics typically include pricing and business models such as robots-as-a-service, sales cycles with enterprise customers, partner channels, and the service organization needed after the sale.
Field data and investment
Field data matters because deployed robots generate the evidence that customers and investors want: reliability numbers, task success rates, and return on investment. The investment track will likely connect that evidence to funding. RoboBusiness 2026 already includes a session on the return on investment of physical AI, led by David Sokolic, a partner at Toyota Ventures. That suggests the investor-facing thread will carry over. therobotreport
Format: more than a conference
The program pairs sessions and panels with a curated expo floor. That matters because commercial buyers and integrators often attend to see hardware and meet suppliers in person. RoboBusiness shows have also included a Startup Alley, and the 2026 exhibitor hall features one. The new event is likely to keep a similar mix, though that hasn’t been confirmed. prnewswire
Robotics Summit & Expo West vs. Robotics Summit & Expo Boston
Both events share a brand but serve different questions. The Boston event focuses on building robotic systems. The West event focuses on scaling them and the company behind them. Together, the two events serve the full lifecycle of designing, building, and bringing a robotics product to market. advfn
| Feature | Robotics Summit & Expo Boston | Robotics Summit & Expo West |
|---|---|---|
| Coast | East Coast | West Coast |
| Core focus | Technical and engineering challenges of building robotic systems | Scaling the product and the company behind it |
| Main question | How do we build it? | How do we deploy it and grow a business? |
| Next edition | June 2–3, 2027 | October 2027 |
| Venue | John B. Hynes Convention Center, Boston | To be announced |
| Likely audience | Engineers, technical leaders, component suppliers | Founders, operators, investors, product and business leaders |
| Former name | Robotics Summit & Expo | RoboBusiness |
Which should you attend? Engineers working on perception, motion control, safety, or software architecture will probably get more from Boston. Founders, executives, investors, and operations leaders deciding how to roll out and fund robots will probably find the West event more relevant. Many teams will send people to both, since the two stages of a robotics company overlap.
RoboBusiness Timeline: From 2004 to Robotics Summit & Expo West
The rebrand closes a long chapter. Here is how the event arrived at its new name:
- 2004: RoboBusiness is founded as a robotics business development event.
- 2022: The show runs October 19–20 at the Santa Clara Convention Center, with a startup competition called Pitchfire among its features.
- 2024: RoboBusiness runs October 16–17 in Santa Clara, with full conference passes starting at $595 and expo-only passes at $75. automatedwarehouseonline
- 2025: Deepu Talla, NVIDIA’s vice president of robotics and edge AI, gives the opening talk. therobotreport
- 2026: RoboBusiness marks its 20th anniversary. therobotreport
- October 2027: the first edition of Robotics Summit & Expo West.
What Happens to RoboBusiness 2026?
RoboBusiness 2026 goes ahead under its current name. Registration was still open as of the announcement. Based on the release, which names October 2027 as the first event under the new brand, this edition appears to be the last to carry the RoboBusiness name. advfn
For attendees this week, the second day follows a familiar pattern. The exhibitor hall runs from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and includes demos and Startup Alley, and the closing keynote at 3:00 p.m. comes from Morgan Pope of Familiar Machines & Magic, who will discuss how the startup creates robotic characters. Check the official schedule for room assignments and any changes. therobotreport
There is no event under the Robotics Summit & Expo West name until 2027. Anyone planning a 2027 budget should treat Boston in June and the West event in October as two separate line items.
Who Should Pay Attention to Robotics Summit & Expo West?
Founders and product leaders
If your robot works in pilots but you are struggling to repeat deployments, this is the audience the event is built for. Look for sessions on integration, support models, and the financial structure of a robotics business.
Investors and corporate venture teams
Investors want proof that deployments scale. Robotics Summit & Expo West plans to connect founders with investors and operators in one place, with field data and funding as stated themes.
Integrators, operators, and end users
Companies that buy and run robots face the practical problems of fleet management, factory and warehouse integration, and aftersales support. Hearing how peers solved those problems is often more useful than a product demo.
Sponsors and exhibitors
Suppliers of components, software, and services should note that the event name is changing, which affects marketing materials, listings, and search visibility. Details on the 2027 expo floor have not been published.
What the Rebrand Signals About the Robotics Industry
This section is analysis, not reporting.
The rename reflects a broader shift in how the sector talks about itself. Early robotics events celebrated what was technically possible. Today’s questions are commercial: can the robot be built at a reasonable cost, installed quickly, supported remotely, and financed so a customer can adopt it?
The press release uses the phrase physical AI, saying the event sharpens its focus on bringing physical AI from development through commercial deployment. That language matches how many companies in the sector now describe the move from research to production. The name Robotics Summit & Expo West also carries a practical benefit. It tells people what the event is, not just that it concerns robotics business. advfn
There is a risk as well. A rebrand resets recognition. RoboBusiness had two decades of name awareness, and the new name has to earn that back. Having Boston and West under one family should help, since the Robotics Summit name already has an established identity in the East Coast show.
Frequently Asked Questions About Robotics Summit & Expo West
When is Robotics Summit & Expo West?
The first edition is planned for October 2027. Exact dates and the location will be announced in the coming weeks. advfn
Where will Robotics Summit & Expo West be held?
The official release does not confirm a venue. One Spanish-language outlet reports Santa Clara, California. RoboBusiness has historically been held at the Santa Clara Convention Center, but wait for the official announcement before booking travel. foro3d
Is Robotics Summit & Expo West the same event as RoboBusiness?
It is the successor. The same event lineage continues under a new name and a sharper focus on deployment and scaling.
Who organizes the event?
Arrowfly announced the rebrand. Steve Crowe of The Robot Report chairs the Robotics Summit events.
How do I attend or speak?
Professionals interested in attending or speaking can join the interest list mentioned in the announcement. Registration for RoboBusiness 2026 remains open at robobusiness.com.
What is the difference between the West and Boston events?
Boston centers on technical and engineering challenges. The West event centers on scaling products and companies.
Bottom Line: What to Do Next
The rebrand is more than a name change. It signals that the people organizing the industry’s flagship business event believe the sector’s central challenge is no longer proving that robots work, but deploying them repeatedly and profitably.
If you are in robotics, take three steps. Mark June 2–3, 2027, for Boston if your work is technical. Watch for the date and venue announcement for Robotics Summit & Expo West if your work is commercial. And if you are at RoboBusiness this week, you are attending the last edition under a name that shaped robotics business development for two decades.
How Businesses Can Prepare for Robotics Summit & Expo West 2027
For robotics companies considering attending the new event, preparation should begin well before registration opens. Start by identifying the business challenges you want to solve. These might include expanding from a single customer site to multiple locations, reducing maintenance costs, improving robot reliability, or finding partners who can support a commercial rollout.
Founders and product teams should prepare clear evidence of their technology’s performance. Demonstrations are useful, but prospective customers and investors also want to understand deployment costs, reliability, implementation timelines, and measurable business outcomes. Presenting these details can help turn conversations into meaningful commercial opportunities.
Exhibitors and technology suppliers should also monitor announcements about the 2027 event. The transition to a new name may affect promotional materials, exhibitor directories, sponsorship opportunities, and online searches. Updating marketing plans once the official event details are available will help businesses maintain visibility.
What the Rebrand Means for Robotics Buyers and Investors
For companies evaluating robotics solutions, the new event’s commercial emphasis could make it easier to connect technical capabilities with practical business needs. Buyers can use industry discussions and demonstrations to compare solutions, understand integration requirements, and assess whether a technology is suitable for their operating environment.
Investors, meanwhile, can look beyond product demonstrations to examine the factors that influence long-term growth. These include customer retention, recurring revenue, manufacturing capacity, service infrastructure, and the ability to reproduce successful deployments across different sites. Such factors can help distinguish promising technology from a scalable business.
Follow Official Updates Before Making Travel Plans
One important consideration remains: the first Robotics Summit & Expo West is planned for October 2027, but the exact dates and venue have not yet been confirmed in the announcement described in this article. Attendees should wait for official information before booking flights, accommodation, or other travel arrangements.
Keep an eye on the event’s official website and announcements for registration details, speaker updates, exhibitor opportunities, and the final schedule.
Ultimately, Robotics Summit & Expo West represents a shift toward the commercial realities of robotics. As the industry matures, success will depend not only on building intelligent machines but also on making them reliable, affordable, maintainable, and valuable to customers. The 2027 event will offer professionals an opportunity to explore how companies are approaching that challenge and what it means for the future of commercial robotics.