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Ghost Robotics, a company that produces and sells four-legged robot dogs, will be moving out of its current location at Pennovation Works following months of protests.
In a press release from Jan. 22, the company said it will be moving in order to “transition to the next phase of growth and its commitment to advancing the field of robotics.” The new location will be elsewhere in Philadelphia.
“We are thrilled to be moving to a new space,” said Ghost Robotics CEO Gavin Kenneally, who earned his Ph.D. from Penn in 2021, in a press release. “The expanded space and advanced infrastructure will support our rapid growth and facilitate greater innovation.”
The press release noted that the company has experienced “significant growth since its founding in 2015,” largely due to its quadrupedal robots. The new office space will provide ”ample room for future expansion.”
The company, which activists allege produced the robotic dogs used by the Israeli military in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, has been the source of extended protests at Penn. The Washington Post confirmed that the Israel Defense Forces were using robot dogs to explore Hamas’ tunnels in December 2023, though it did not specify which company produced them.
The Daily Pennsylvanian cannot confirm if Ghost Robotics robots are used by the IDF.
“We will keep organizing and fighting for a world where weapons and companies like Ghost are obsolete,” pro-Palestinian student organizers wrote on Instagram. “Our struggle continues.”
Ghost Robotics is a participant in the Penn Center for Innovation Ventures’ UPstart program, which supports early-stage startups “founded on Penn technology.” According to its website, PCIV “actively seeks entrepreneurs to lead its companies and investors to provide funding for a portfolio of new ventures in development.”
Protesters have repeatedly called on the University to cut ties with Ghost Robotics. In June 2024, about a dozen demonstrators entered the Engineering Quad’s Towne Building to deliver a petition against the connection between the two groups. At the time, the petition had over 3,000 signatures. Six protesters received trespassing citations from Penn Police.
In December, students and faculty reiterated their concerns about Penn’s connection with Ghost Robotics at a University Council meeting. Physics Ph.D. candidate William Chan described the University as “complicit in genocide” because of its ties with the company, echoing a common sentiment among activists.
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