Jorgen Pedersen, the ARM Institute’s new CEO, will be at its annual member meeting. Source: The ARM Institute
The board of the Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing, or ARM, Institute yesterday said it has appointed Jorgen Pedersen, an experienced robotics and manufacturing executive, as CEO, effective June 17, 2025. Pedersen will succeed Ira Moskowitz in the role. Moskowitz, who is retiring, will remain on-staff with the ARM Institute to guide the transition throughout the month of June.
“We’re at a pivotal moment where robotics and AI are no longer future technologies — they’re ready to transform U.S. manufacturing today,” stated Pedersen. “I’m honored to join the ARM Institute in its mission to drive innovation, strengthen our industrial base, and prepare a workforce ready to thrive alongside advanced technologies.”
“I’m excited to bring my experience to help grow the ARM Institute’s impact and work with the talented team, its members, the Department of Defense, and Carnegie Mellon University,” he added. “Together, we have a powerful opportunity to shape the future of manufacturing and secure America’s leadership in this critical space.”
The ARM Institute is a Manufacturing Innovation Institute (MII) funded by the Office of the Secretary of Defense under Agreement No. W911NF-17-3-0004 and is part of the Manufacturing USA network. The Pittsburgh-based organization‘s goal is to make robotics, autonomy, and artificial intelligence more accessible to U.S. manufacturers large and small, train and empower the manufacturing workforce, strengthen the U.S. economy and global competitiveness, and elevate national security and resilience.
The public-private consortium has more than 450 member organizations and partners across industry, academia, and government. Since 2017, the ARM Institute has fostered collaboration around dual-use robotics and AI innovations, as well as workforce issues. It said it is “leading the way to a future where people and robots work together to respond to our nation’s greatest challenges and to produce the world’s most desired products.”
Executive search leads to Pedersen
The ARM Institute said its board of directors selected Pedersen after a robust CEO search. As a leader in robotics, AI, manufacturing, and workforce development, the organization noted that it received “an immense amount of interest across the nation” in the position from qualified candidates.
Jorgen Pedersen, new CEO of the ARM Institute.
Pedersen has more than 25 years of technology leadership experience managing all aspects of robotics, research and development, and production companies with strategic relationships in the governmental, defense, technology, and manufacturing sectors. He founded RE2 Robotics, a Pittsburgh-based developer of modular manipulation systems, in 2001.
As RE2 CEO, Pedersen hired and managed a team of more than 100 employees, delivered hundreds of systems to the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and commercial customers, and secured Series A funding after bootstrapping the business for 13 years. He also forged strategic relationships in aviation, construction, and medical markets, leading to a 300% increase in revenue post-Series A and spearheaded government proposals that led to $75 million worth of contracts.
In addition, Pedersen led the negotiations and due diligence for the acquisition of RE2 Robotics by Sarcos Technology and Robotics Corp. for $100 million in 2022. Sarcos has since pivoted from hardware to software and renamed itself as Palladyne AI Corp.
Most recently, Pedersen served as the robotics entrepreneur in residence at Innovation Works’ Robotics Factory. In this role, he mentored early-stage robotics founders and C-level executives on topics ranging from fundraising and business development to government proposal development, strategic planning, manufacturing, and culture.
Pedersen also guided the development of sector-specific summits that convened leaders in vertical markets that were conducive for the adoption of robotics and AI, including the April 2025 Robotics & Industrial Automation Summit, which the ARM Institute partnered with the Robotics Factory to host.
Pedersen knows the ARM Institute
Pedersen is very familiar with the ARM Institute, having previously served on its Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), which provides support for strategic initiatives. He has been a long-time advocate for robotics and manufacturing growth both for Western Pennsylvania and nationally, having served on the board of directors for Pittsburgh-based Catalyst Connection, and he is currently serving on the board of directors for the Pittsburgh Robotics Network, of which he is one of the organization’s founders.
ARM also noted that Pedersen is a leader in the national uncrewed systems community, with past experience serving as the chairman of the Robotics Division of the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA), the board of trustees for NDIA, and the board of directors for the National Advanced Mobility Consortium.
Pedersen has contributed to the growth of the robotics market for more than 25 years, beginning his career as one of the founders of Carnegie Mellon University’s (CMU‘s) National Robotics Engineering Center (NREC). He holds an M.S. degree in robotics and a B.S. degree in electrical and computer engineering from CMU.
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Robotics community welcomes new CEO
“I look forward to working with Jorgen Pedersen and his leadership of the ARM Institute to strengthen the Organic Industrial Base, as well as the larger Defense Industrial Base,” said Keith DeVries, director of manufacturing technology (ManTech) under the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, or OUSD(R&E). “As the nation looks to re-shore manufacturing, the work and impact of the ARM Institute, in partnership with the other DoD Manufacturing Innovation Institutes, continues to grow in importance.”
“On behalf of the Carnegie Mellon University community, I am thrilled to see Jorgen Pedersen — a visionary roboticist and entrepreneur — appointed to this position of national leadership,” added Farnam Jahanian, president of CMU. “Jorgen will waste no time building on the incredible foundation forged by his predecessor, Ira Moskowitz, and further solidifying the ARM Institute’s role as a vital resource for the nation.”
“The ARM Institute board of directors could not be more pleased to have Jorgen take on the leadership of this vital institution. His experience and expertise align perfectly with our vision for continuing the ARM Institute’s momentum and impact,” said Brett B. Lambert, chairman of the ARM Institute board.
“As we welcome Jorgen to the ARM Institute team, we also wish Ira Moskowitz the best in his well-earned retirement and thank him for his many years of dedicated service to the ARM Institute, which have been critical to growing and securing the ARM Institute’s national impact and leadership,” he said.
Moskowitz passes the torch
“Moskowitz’s leadership has been integral to the success and growth of the ARM Institute,” said the organization.
He joined ARM in 2020, leading its stakeholders and employees through the COVID-19 pandemic. Moskowitz secured project funding that enabled the ARM Institute to rapidly respond to the nation’s pandemic manufacturing needs.
Outgoing CEO Ira Moskowitz. Source: ARM Institute
Shortly thereafter, he led the organization through its DoD Joint Defense Manufacturing Council (JDMC) review, which secured the ARM Institute’s $35.4 continuation agreement with the Defense Department.
The institute said Moskowitz also led it to launch a variety of strategic programs and offerings, including RoboticsCareer.org and the Robotics Manufacturing Hub. Under his guidance, the institute’s member consortium continued to grow, exceeding 450 member organizations.
“It has been a privilege and an honor to be part of the ARM Institute team as we navigated from our single, initial Department of Defense contract to a sustainable portfolio of work supporting the DoD, the Department of Commerce, the Department of Labor, local foundations, and numerous others,” Moskowitz said. “I am delighted to see such a terrifically qualified and experienced executive as Jorgen agree to take on this role and am confident he is the right person to steer the ARM Institute team to even more growth and success in the future.”
ARM prepares for annual member meeting
The ARM Institute said members can meet Pedersen at its 2025 Annual Member Meeting from Sept. 3 to 5 in Pittsburgh. The event is free to attend and open only to ARM members.
The organization is planning three days of networking, collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and robotics demonstrations. Its agenda will feature keynote presentations from industry and DoD experts, project updates, and interactive activities to provide input into the ARM Institute’s strategy and programs.
The member meeting will also include five-minute member pitches, its seated Champions Dinner, a networking reception at ARM’s Pittsburgh headquarters, and more. Members can register to attend in its Member Community or by e-mailing membership@arminstitute.org for assistance.