The future of artificial intelligence is being shaped by the people bringing it into the real world, and Pennovation Works was excited to be part of that conversation at AI Horizons in Pittsburgh.

AI Horizons brings together technology leaders, entrepreneurs, researchers, industry executives, and policymakers to explore how AI is moving beyond the lab and transforming industries. From robotics and healthcare to manufacturing, workforce development, and responsible AI policy, the conference focuses on the opportunities and challenges of putting AI into practice.

We are excited to announce the 2026 Pennovati

InfiniFluidics, a member company based at the Pennovation Center, was recently highlighted in a WHYY News story exploring how artificial intelligence is accelerating breakthroughs in biotechnology and drug development.

On May 7th from 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM EDT, Pennovation Works, along with Philly AI Connect, Code & Coffee, PhilaCon Valley, Philly Tech Council, Vets in Tech, Penn Vet, AgriGates, Philly Tech & AI Alliance, and m2i, are hosting a full-day gathering at Pennovation Center spotlighting the people, ideas, and institutions shaping the future of AI and tech in Philadelphia.

What to expect:

A new breakthrough from Penn Dental Medicine highlights how innovation can take unexpected forms while addressing some of the most complex challenges in health care. Researchers have developed a bioengineered chewing gum designed to reduce harmful microbes linked to oral cancer, offering a promising new approach to prevention and treatment. 

The announcement of the 2026 University of Pennsylvania President’s Innovation Prize winners highlights the next generation of ideas shaping the future. Selected from a competitive pool of 67 applicants, this year’s recipients will spend the next year bringing their ventures to life.

Pennovation Works is proud to continue its partnership with the President’s Office by providing space at Pennovation Center for both Innovation and Sustainability prize winners, Serpent Robotics and Fluid Silicon.

Sonura, created by Penn Engineering graduates, is a smart beanie designed to protect premature babies in the NICU from harmful noise while strengthening the bond between parents and their newborns. 

The device filters out damaging sound levels common in hospital environments while allowing comforting elements like a parent’s voice to come through. It also lets families record messages and heartbeats, creating a sense of closeness even when they cannot be physically present. 

If you watched drones light up the Philadelphia sky during the Eagles' 2023 playoff run, you were watching the work of a company with deep roots right here at Pennovation Works. Verge Aero, a former member of the Pennovation Center, has evolved from a small team tinkering with drone automation into a full platform company powering light shows for event producers and operators nationwide.

For many veterans, the hardest part of transitioning out of service isn't the discipline, the work ethic, or the resilience, it's knowing where to start in a civilian tech landscape that doesn't always speak the same language. On March 24th, the Vets in Tech Greater Philadelphia Chapter tackled that challenge head-on with Pathways into Tech, their first event of the year and a milestone moment for a chapter that's quickly becoming a vital hub for the region's veteran tech community.

Penn Dental researchers have engineered lettuce to produce functional GLP-1 peptides, a potential breakthrough for making diabetes and obesity drugs cheaper, easier to take, and gentler on patients.