Galway Start-Up Forge Robotics Joins Y Combinator to Revolutionise Welding with AI
A Galway-based robotics start-up has secured a coveted place in the prestigious Y Combinator accelerator programme, along with $500,000 in pre-seed funding, as it prepares to launch an AI-powered system that could transform manufacturing by solving the global shortage of skilled welders. Forge Robotics, founded by Eoin Cobbe, aged 21, and Robert Cormican, aged 22, is now based in San Francisco as it prepares for a July 2026 product launch — a remarkable trajectory for two young engineers from the west of Ireland.
Background
Forge Robotics emerged from the PorterShed innovation hub in Galway, one of Ireland's most important technology incubators. Established in 2015, PorterShed has supported the creation of over 800 jobs and attracted significant investment to the west of Ireland, providing co-working spaces, mentorship, and access to a network of entrepreneurs and investors. Cobbe and Cormican were among ten companies selected for the inaugural AI Venture Forge Accelerator at PorterShed, where they developed the core technology that would attract the attention of Silicon Valley's most prestigious accelerator.
Y Combinator, the San Francisco-based programme that has backed companies including Airbnb, Stripe, and Uber, is widely regarded as the gold standard of the global start-up ecosystem. Ireland has a strong track record with the accelerator: Stripe, co-founded by Limerick brothers Patrick and John Collison, is perhaps the most celebrated Y Combinator alumnus of all, while other Irish companies including Protex AI, Luminate Medical, and Solidroad have also passed through its doors. Forge Robotics joins that distinguished cohort as part of the F2025 batch.
The global shortage of skilled welders is the problem the company is built to solve. In the United States alone, the American Welding Society projects a demand for approximately 330,000 to 360,000 new welding professionals by 2027-28. The average welder is now 55 years old, and for every five who retire, only one or two new entrants join the industry. This demographic crisis is driving production delays and increased costs across manufacturing, infrastructure, and energy sectors worldwide.
Key Developments
Forge Robotics has developed an AI-powered intelligence layer for industrial robots that allows machines to scan a part, interpret its geometry, and perform welds even when the setup is imperfect. The system is designed to eliminate the months of expensive engineering hours typically required to programme and maintain welding robots, making automation accessible to a far wider range of manufacturers — including smaller firms that have historically been priced out of robotic solutions.
Following their acceptance into Y Combinator, Cobbe deferred his university degree and Cormican left his job, and both relocated swiftly to San Francisco. The company has incorporated a US entity and begun interviewing engineers ahead of its planned first product launch in July 2026. The market opportunity is substantial: the AI in welding and manufacturing automation sector is projected to be worth between $14.8 billion and $17.4 billion by 2034-35, driven by the integration of collaborative robots, real-time defect detection, and IoT-enabled predictive maintenance.
Why It Matters
The story of Forge Robotics is significant on multiple levels. It is a demonstration that world-class deep-tech innovation can emerge from the west of Ireland, and that the ecosystem built around hubs like PorterShed is producing companies capable of competing on the global stage. The technology itself addresses a genuine and growing industrial crisis: the welder shortage is not a niche problem but a structural challenge that affects the entire manufacturing economy. If Forge Robotics can deliver on its promise, it could meaningfully reduce production costs and timelines for factories of all sizes, with implications that extend far beyond Ireland's borders. Mary Rodgers, CEO of PorterShed, has praised the company as an example of how Irish start-ups can redefine manufacturing globally.
Local Impact
For Northern Ireland, which has a significant manufacturing base and its own engineering talent pipeline, the Forge Robotics story is both an inspiration and a prompt for reflection. The region has long been home to world-class engineering expertise, and the success of companies like Forge Robotics demonstrates the potential for young Irish engineers to build globally significant businesses from a standing start. The long-term vision of the company — to create a universal factory operating system that makes robots more intelligent and adaptive across all stages of production — could have direct applications for manufacturers across the island of Ireland, including in Northern Ireland's aerospace, shipbuilding, and advanced manufacturing sectors.
What's Next
Forge Robotics is on track to launch its first product in July 2026, with an initial focus on the Irish and UK markets before expanding internationally. The company will continue to build its engineering team in San Francisco while maintaining its Irish roots. For two young founders from Galway who took a leap of faith to pursue their vision, the journey is only just beginning — but the early signs suggest it could be a remarkable one.
Sources: PorterShed — Forge Robotics Joins Y Combinator, Silicon Republic — Forge Robotics Report, TechCentral.ie — Galway Robotics Start-Up
