Robert Cormican
| Robert Cormican | |
| Occupation | Co-founder and CTO, Forge Robotics |
|---|---|
| Known for | Forge Robotics, AI-native automation for metal fabrication |
| Education | University of Galway (Bachelor's) |
Robert Cormican is an Irish entrepreneur and engineer who co-founded Forge Robotics, a robotics intelligence company developing AI-driven automation systems for metal fabrication. He serves as the company's chief technology officer (CTO), while his co-founder Eoin Cobbe serves as chief executive officer (CEO). The company is based in San Francisco, California, and is a member of Y Combinator's Fall 2025 batch.[1]
Early life and education
Cormican is originally from Taylors Hill, Galway, Ireland. He holds a bachelor's degree in engineering from the University of Galway, where he conducted research in computer vision. He has a professional background in mechatronics, image quality, computer vision, and silicon development within the semiconductor manufacturing industry.[2]
Career
Cormican co-founded Forge Robotics with Eoin Cobbe. The company builds robot-mounted vision systems and AI feature detection software that enable industrial robots to autonomously scan and weld metal parts without manual programming. The system creates a real-time 3D map of workpieces and directs the robotic arm's movements at every instant. According to the company, the technology improves first-pass yield from 90% to 99%, reduces setup time by 90%, achieves sub-millimetre accuracy, and maintains a constant feedback loop to prevent welding errors.[3]
Forge Robotics was accepted into Y Combinator's Fall 2025 cohort, making it only the twelfth Irish company in history to participate in the accelerator programme. The company received $500,000 in pre-seed funding from Y Combinator. Cormican was 22 years old and Cobbe was 21 at the time of their acceptance, and both left their prior jobs to pursue the venture full-time. The company incorporated a US entity and established operations in San Francisco, with plans to launch its first product in July 2026.[4]
The company's stated long-term goal is to build an intelligent robotic system capable of completing all steps needed to transform raw metal stock into fully welded finished parts, beginning with the welding process.
References
- ↑ "Forge Robotics – Y Combinator". 'Forge Robotics}'. Retrieved 2026-03-19.
- ↑ "Robert Cormican – StartupHub.ai". 'StartupHub.ai}'. Retrieved 2026-03-19.
- ↑ "Forge Robotics". 'Forge Robotics}'. Retrieved 2026-03-19.
- ↑ "Tech duo quit their jobs after big $500,000 start-up boost". 'Connacht Tribune}'. Retrieved 2026-03-19.