CWRU startup success Path Robotics featured in The New York Times
Path Robotics—an AI and robotics company co-founded by Case Western Reserve University alumni brothers Alex (CWR ’09; GRS ’12, mechanical engineering) and Andy Lonsberry (GRS ’21, mechanical engineering)—was featured this week in The New York Times in a story about Ohio’s rise in advanced manufacturing.
The piece highlights Path’s autonomous robotic welding systems, which are designed to help manufacturers address a persistent shortage of skilled welders, and notes that the Lonsberrys started the company in Cleveland before moving it to Columbus in 2019. Today, Path operates from a 200,000-square-foot facility there.
The company’s origins are closely tied to CWRU.
Its earliest technology took shape at the Larry Sears and Sally Zlotnick Sears think[box], where the brothers began developing their AI-powered robotic welding systems.
They later spent nearly two years in the think[box] business incubator refining optical sensors, computer vision models and robotic controllers.
“Think[box] gave us our own space, the tools, the software—the foundational stuff we couldn’t have afforded otherwise,” said Alex Lonsberry, in a recent interview for CWRU Magazine. “We created the first version of everything there.”
He added, “Without think[box], we would not be where we are today.”
Path Robotics’ early development grew out of CWRU’s entrepreneurship network, especially LaunchNET, which supported the company during its time on campus. The late Bob Sopko, who helped shape LaunchNET’s work with student and alumni founders, also introduced Path Robotics to some of its initial investors.
CWRU has since expanded that network through the Veale Institute for Entrepreneurship and the 11000 Cedar Startup Incubator, giving more founders access to startup advising, investor connections, workspace and peer support.
Path Robotics has become one of Ohio’s most visible advanced manufacturing startups. According to The New York Times, the company has raised $370 million from investors since 2018, employs 175 people and plans to grow to 300 employees by the end of the year.
Several CWRU alumni are part of the company’s team.
