GeekWire Awards: The machines of the future, from self-driving earthmovers to space robots

An emerging class of startups is pushing the boundaries of what machines can do in the physical world — retrofitting bulldozers to dig on their own, launching drones that beat police cars to 911 calls, outfitting retail workers with spatial computing badges, building robotic arms for spacecraft, and servicing satellites in orbit.

Those are the innovations represented by the finalists for Hardware/Robotics/Physical AI of the Year at the 2026 GeekWire Awards. 

The finalists are: AIM, Augmodo, Brinc, Orbital Robotics, and Starfish Space.

Now in its 18th year, the GeekWire Awards is the premier event recognizing the top leaders, companies and breakthroughs in Pacific Northwest tech, bringing together hundreds of people to celebrate innovation and the entrepreneurial spirit. It takes place May 7 at the Showbox SoDo in Seattle.

Continue reading for information on the Hardware/Robotics/Physical AI of the Year finalists, who were chosen by a panel of independent judges from community nominations.

You can help pick the winner: Cast your ballot here or in the embedded form at the bottom. Voting runs through April 16.

AIM Intelligent Machines retrofits heavy earthmoving equipment such as bulldozers and excavators to operate autonomously, using sensors and an edge computing system to build real-time 3D maps of a machine’s surroundings and navigate without a human driver.

Originally focused on mining and construction, the company recently expanded into defense, winning $4.9 million in U.S. Air Force contracts to build and repair military bases and airfields.

The Seattle-area startup announced $50 million in funding in 2025 and was founded in 2021 by engineers with experience at Waymo, SpaceX, Google, Stripe, Tesla and Apple. CEO Adam Sadilek leads the company.

Augmodo makes wearable “Smartbadge” devices for retail store employees that use computer vision and 3D mapping to collect real-time inventory data as workers move through aisles, tracking empty shelves, overstocking and product availability. The approach is designed as a cheaper and more efficient alternative to robot scanners.

The Seattle startup, founded in 2023, raised $37.5 million in a Series A round on top of a previously announced $5.4 million seed round. CEO Ross Finman previously co-founded Escher Reality, which was acquired by Niantic Labs, and spent more than four years at the “Pokémon Go” maker. The company recently hired a new CTO from Microsoft HoloLens and Amazon Alexa and has grown its team nearly fivefold.

Brinc builds drones for police, fire and emergency response agencies, recently unveiling Guardian, the world’s first Starlink-connected drone. Guardian can auto-launch on a 911 call, fly up to eight miles at 60 mph for more than an hour, and deliver payloads such as defibrillators and emergency medication. 

The company’s products are used by more than 900 public safety agencies and more than 20% of SWAT teams in the U.S.

Founded in 2019 by CEO Blake Resnick, the Seattle-based company raised $75 million in a round that included a strategic alliance with Motorola Solutions, bringing total funding to $157.2 million. The company now employs 160 people and is moving to a new 35,000-square-foot headquarters and factory in Seattle’s Queen Anne neighborhood.

Orbital Robotics is developing AI-powered robotic arms for spacecraft, tackling the challenge of manipulating objects in orbit where every movement of an arm causes the spacecraft itself to move in response. 

The Puyallup, Wash.-based startup is also working to assemble a consortium to save NASA’s aging Hubble Space Telescope by building a robotic spacecraft to boost it to a more stable orbit.

Founded in late 2024, the company has raised about $310,000 and is working with a stealthy space venture on an orbital rendezvous project for the U.S. Space Force. Co-founders Aaron Borger, Doug Kohl, Riley Mark and Sohil Pokharna are former Blue Origin engineers.

Starfish Space builds satellite servicing spacecraft designed to autonomously inspect, dock with and reposition satellites in orbit — including satellites that weren’t originally built for on-orbit servicing. Its Otter spacecraft can extend satellite lifespans by boosting them to higher orbits or move them to lower orbits for safe disposal.

The Tukwila, Wash.-based company, founded in 2019 by former Blue Origin engineers Austin Link and Trevor Bennett, recently raised more than $110 million in a Series B round, pushing total funding past $150 million. 

Starfish has completed three demonstration missions in orbit and has Otter missions under contract with the U.S. Space Force, NASA, SES and others, with its first operational mission expected to launch this year.

Astound Business Solutions is the presenting sponsor of the 2026 GeekWire Awards. Thanks also to gold sponsors Amazon Sustainability, Baird, BECU, JLL, First Tech and Wilson Sonsini, and silver sponsors Prime Team Partners.

The event will feature a VIP reception, sit-down dinner and fun entertainment mixed in. Tickets go fast. A limited number of half-table and full-table sponsorships are available. Contact events@geekwire.com to reserve a spot for your team today.

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