Editor-Curated Robotics Industry Briefing - RobotToday

Damion Shelton Appointed Associate VP and Executive Director of Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship

Carnegie Mellon University has appointed Damion Shelton as the associate vice president and executive director of the Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship. Shelton, a Carnegie Mellon alumnus with degrees from SCS in 2004 and 2007, brings extensive experience as an entrepreneur and technology executive to this role. This appointment is significant as it marks a new phase for the Swartz Center, focusing on enhancing entrepreneurship, enterprise creation, and research commercialization at Carnegie Mellon. Shelton's leadership is expected to drive innovation and growth within the university's entrepreneurial ecosystem. Looking ahead, Shelton's first day in this position will be in August. Stakeholders will be keen to observe how his leadership influences the center's initiatives and the broader impact on the university's entrepreneurial landscape. No further timeline was disclosed at the time of publication.

ri.cmu.edu By Mallory Lindahl Aug 17, 2026 Announcements

Chen Yonghai Joins Zhongqing as COO After Leaving Xiaopeng Motors

Chen Yonghai, former Vice President of Product at Xiaopeng Motors, has officially joined Zhongqing Robotics as Chief Operating Officer, reporting to Chairman and CEO Zhao Tongyang. Chen's career trajectory reflects a strong background in product management, having previously worked at UC and Amap, and led product development at Xiaopeng Motors. His transition to Zhongqing comes after a brief period considering entrepreneurship in robotics. Founded in the second half of 2023 by Zhao Tongyang, Zhongqing has already secured $200 million in Series B funding, with a valuation exceeding 10 billion RMB. The company aims to produce humanoid robots at scale, with the first batch of T800 robots recently rolling off the production line in Zhengzhou. The humanoid robotics industry is evolving rapidly, with a shift from custom production to mass manufacturing. Chen's expertise in product lifecycle management is crucial as the industry seeks to meet increasing demand. The collaboration with former Xiaopeng autonomous driving head Li Liyun as CTO positions Zhongqing to leverage automotive methodologies in addressing the unique challenges of robotics commercialization.