Israeli autonomous-vehicle firm to open at Tech Garden

Blue White Robotics expects to create up to 30 jobs in next five years       

SYRACUSE — An Israeli autonomous-vehicle company plans to establish a command and control center at the Tech Garden and create up to 30 jobs in the next five years.

With assistance from New York State and through private investments, Blue White Robotics of Tel Aviv, Israel is developing its “robots as a service” platform and plans to station an operations, marketing and sales team at the Tech Garden, the office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Oct. 6. 

Blue White Robotics currently has one employee locally who is working remotely because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Elle Hanna, director of communications and media relations, tells CNYBJ.

The total project cost has been placed at a little over $4 million. Blue White Robotics has also recently secured $10 million in its first major round of venture-capital funding, which will be used to further support the growth of its U.S. operations.

The company last spring announced interest in expanding its presence in New York State by partnering with local companies to service the state’s agriculture, transportation, and first-responder markets. Empire State Development is helping Blue White Robotics with up to $300,000 through the Excelsior Job Creation program and CenterState CEO is providing $1 million in UAS Jobs Funds assistance. 

UAS is short for unmanned aircraft system, which is more commonly referred to as a drone.

Blue White Robotics specializes in autonomous products for agriculture, public transportation, energy, mining, and first responders. The company’s customers include private companies, government organizations, and research institutions around the world. 

The firm is also assisting Easy Aerial from Brooklyn — a company that designs and manufactures autonomwous drones and ground control systems — and Dropcopter from Syracuse, which develops aerial pollination capabilities, “as part of the solution to the global bee crisis” in partnership with Cornell University, Cuomo’s office said. 

“I would like to thank Gov. Cuomo for his support and vision for autonomous systems; and to extend our gratitude to everyone at Empire State Development for the warm welcome we have received. Together, we will share our values of fellowship, love of the land, and innovation!” Ben Alfi, CEO of Blue White Robotics, said in a statement.

Blue White Robotics officials joined Cuomo’s UAS industry delegation in Israel during its July 2019 visit. Attended by top companies, academic institutions, and technology startups from both counties, the summit was focused on promoting commerce and collaboration between New York and Israel for drone, health, and infrastructure technologies.         ν