The Bay Area Robotics Association (BARA) has officially launched as a member-driven platform designed to connect corporates, roboticists, investors, and startups across Silicon Valley and the greater San Francisco Bay Area. Unveiled at the Humanoids Summit Silicon Valley, BARA aims to accelerate commercialization of robotics and embodied AI technologies.
“By bringing together leaders across humanoid, industrial, service, and mobility robotics, we aim to accelerate the pilots and partnerships that move AI into physical form,” said Modar Alaoui, chairman of BARA and founder of ALM Ventures.
A Global, Collaborative Approach
BARA launches with international partnerships to strengthen global robotics ties:
- U.S. Partner: MassRobotics, connecting East Coast research and manufacturing expertise with West Coast AI commercialization.
- Japan Partner: AI Robot Association (AIRoA), fostering cross-border innovation and deployment in robotics.
- China Partner: Shanghai SG Robotics (Robot China Network), expanding opportunities for industry exchange with Silicon Valley.
The organization also leverages national standards initiatives, including work by NIST on interoperability, measurement science, and deployment readiness, ensuring members can scale solutions efficiently.
Member Benefits and Activities
Starting in early 2026, BARA will host member-only capital and networking sessions for corporates, investors, and startups, beginning with a session in late February. Members will also gain:
- Access to a private directory for targeted introductions and collaboration
- Concise ecosystem updates to track industry trends
- Opportunities to engage in global partnerships and capital pathways
“Partnering with BARA allows us to connect two of the most influential robotics hubs in the world,” said Joyce Sidopoulos, Co-Founder and Chief of Operations at MassRobotics.
BARA’s formation reflects growing international alignment around real-world deployment and commercialization of robotics. By uniting key ecosystems, the platform aims to transform the Bay Area’s leadership in AI and embodied robotics into tangible investment and market momentum.
“We’re looking forward to building new bridges between Japan’s robotics and AI ecosystem and the vibrant Bay Area robotics communities,” said Prof. Tetsuya Ogata, Chairman at AIRoA.
“Collaboration with BARA will help drive global progress in robotics and expand opportunities for industry exchange between China and Silicon Valley,” added Marco Zhao, President of Shanghai SG Robotics.
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