Andra Keay

Managing Director @ Silicon Valley Robotics

About

Building Hard Tech Networks for the Hard Tech startups' success.Join us at Silicon Valley - IEEE Entrepreneurship Hard Tech Venture Summit , April 16 & 17, 2026 https://sv.vsummit.ieeesystemscouncil.org/ OR at Boston, June 10 & 11  https://entrepreneurship.ieee.org/venturesummitbostonAndra Keay is the Managing Director of Silicon Valley Robotics (SVR), the largest robotics ecosystem or cluster in the world. SVR provides a startup accelerator, reports, and many events that support innovation and commercialization of robotics technology, including robotics vertical summits, Founders/Funders Networking, Robotics Leadership Forums and the big Silicon Valley Robot Block Party. SVR fosters innovation with global impact, advocating for a future where technology and human ambition align for transformative progress.Andra was a HRI Pioneer in 2013 and has continued to volunteer as Industry Chair for several IEEE RAS conferences, from Humanoids to ICRA, and as a speaker or organizer of entrepreneurship events. As founder of Women in Robotics, Andra reflects a commitment to empowering women in leadership, enhancing their impact across industries. Contributing to IEEE’s ethical standards development and thriving in roles that demand futures thinking, she has cultivated a niche in navigating and shaping the robotics landscape. A sought-after keynote speaker, I have graced the stages of major international conferences, including Web Summit, Future World, SxSW, Global Female Leaders Summit, Global Talent Summit at Davos, Delphi Economic Forum, Ada Lovelace Festival, Singularity U Global Summit, Humanoid Robot Festival, Design, World of Drones, and Robots and Masters. Her expertise covers topics such as Good Robot Design, Building Successful Value-Driven Technology Clusters, and Robotics Industry and Investment Trends.For more insights, explore my interviews with 52-Insights: "The Future is Here: How Robotics Will Change Our Lives"http://www.52-insights.com/inspirations/the-future-is-here-how-robotics-will-change-our-lives/ and Women Mean Business, http://www.womenmeanbusiness.com/2015/12/4967/

Country

United States

City

San Francisco Bay Area

Industry

Think Tanks

Skill

Impact Investing, Startups, Communication, Technology Commercialization, Strategic Partnerships, Project Management, Financial Modeling, Business Strategy, Business Development, Analytical Skills, Robotics, Start-ups, Entrepreneurship, User Experience, Human Computer Interaction, Machine Learning, Research, R&D, Simulations, Web Design

Experience

Managing Director

Silicon Valley Robotics

2011-6 - Present · 15 yrs 4 mos

Silicon Valley Robotics is the world’s largest cluster of robotics innovation and commercialization. Silicon Valley Robotics produces reports on trends and case studies in the robotics industry, organizes the annual Silicon Valley Robot Block Party, investor showcases for robotics companies, professional networking and industry thought leader roundtables.

Venture Partner

The Robotics Hub

2018-1 - Present · 8 yrs 9 mos

The Robotics Hub is an early seed stage VC fund that supports science based breakthrough robotics, AI, AR/VR and quantum startups.

Mentor

Creative Destruction Lab

2017-11 - Present · 8 yrs 11 mos

Faculty

Singularity University

2015-1 - Present · 11 yrs 9 mos

Singularity U is a benefit corporation headquartered at NASA Research Park in Silicon Valley. SU provides educational programs, innovative partnerships and a startup accelerator—artificial intelligence & robotics, biotechnology, nanotechnology & digital fabrication, networks & computing systems and medicine & neuroscience—to address humanity’s grand challenges.

Advisor

Circuit Launch

2018-1 - Present · 8 yrs 9 mos

THE SPACE FOR AR, VR, ROBOTICS AND ANY HARDWARE ELECTRONIC COMPANIES

Robot Startup Strategist & Founder

Robot Launchpad

2011-1 - Present · 15 yrs 9 mos

Robot Launch is global robotics startup competition.

VP Global Robotics

AMT - The Association For Manufacturing Technology

2022-4 - 2024-3 · 2 yrs

Oakland, California, United States

Advisor

Farcast, Inc

2017-8 - 2023-3 · 5 yrs 8 mos

Land the package, not the airplane. DASH is a new concept in Air shipping, marrying aerospace engineering expertise built on a cutting edge UAV backbone.

Advisor

Mindfire Global

2018-1 - 2023-1 · 5 yrs 1 mo

The Mindfire Foundation is a Swiss non-profit which is focused on understanding the foundational principles which make up human intelligence, and applying those principles to the development of artificially intelligent organisms.

Advisory Board

New Horizon Studios @Hyundai

2021-1 - 2023 · 2 yrs

Education

Institute for the Future

Foresight Training

2019 - 2019

Institute for the Future is the world’s leading futures organization. Its training program, IFTF Foresight Essentials, is a comprehensive portfolio of strategic foresight training tools based upon 50 years of IFTF best practices. Our flagship course provides essential tools and techniques for embracing strategic foresight, navigating large-scale change, and leading your organization towards a vibrant future. Graduates receive certification as a foresight practitioner, joining a community of visionaries promoting futures-thinking across the globe.