Behind every robotic system is a human story, and at Novanta, that story matters.
Through our partnership with MassRobotics, we mentor early-stage startups working at the intersection of robotics, healthcare, and human impact. As part of the Healthcare Catalyst program, we support select startups with hands-on guidance across motion control, sensing, safety, and system-level design.
For engineers like Shannon Prouty, that work brings visibility to impact that component suppliers do not always see. “We don’t always see the end product or how our technology affects people,” she said. “That can make it easy to lose sight of the bigger picture.”
One of the startups we mentored, ReviMo, is developing robotic technology designed to help people with mobility impairments regain independence and dignity. Working directly with teams like this brings engineering decisions into sharper focus. Shannon explained, “It’s about impacting someone’s personal life in a meaningful way.”
Mentorship also reinforces how we engage with customers, not as transactions, but as partnerships. “Supplying parts that work is important,” Shannon said. “But what really matters is being available, responsive, and willing to work through problems together.”
That engineer-to-engineer mindset builds trust early and often, especially for startups navigating complex design challenges with limited resources.
Just as importantly, the learning flows both ways. “MassRobotics is a great opportunity for us to learn,” Shannon added. “It helps us understand where the market is going and how our technology might be used in ways we hadn’t considered.”
Innovation that matters happens when technology is built with people in mind, and mentorship helps ensure the next generation of robotics reflects that responsibility from the very beginning.
Read the whole story in the InMotion magazine: Novanta MAG 2025-2026 – Flipbook – Page 51