Robotics Company Expanding in Chapel Hill, with Town Incentive
Published on May 21, 2026
In 2023, UNC-Chapel Hill professor Steven King founded Blue Sky Robotics. Now, the company is expanding its headquarters in downtown Chapel Hill, creating a projected 152 new jobs over the next few years.
Blue Sky Robotics makes AI vision software that makes robots more intuitive and effective. They help companies across multiple sectors to solve complex manufacturing and logistics challenges, including packaging, painting, inspection, and more. The company’s new headquarters will be located at 136 E Rosemary Street.
“Chapel Hill is the right choice for our business and for our employees,” says Steven King. “It’s a place where innovation is a part of the culture and it has the space that we need to grow. Our team is incredibly excited about what’s ahead – and truly thankful for the Town’s support.”
At its May 20 meeting, the Chapel Hill Town Council approved an economic development incentive package to help the company expand downtown. The package has two parts, a parking credit that provides up to 30 spaces and a $57,000 cash award over the next five years. The incentive package is contingent on the company hiring 152 full-time jobs with average salaries at or above $77,303.
The Town of Chapel Hill worked closely with Blue Sky Robotics on its expansion efforts. David Putnam, the Town’s Economic Development Director, says that being able to offer incentive packages like this gives Chapel Hill an edge in a highly competitive regional and national market.
“Innovative companies like Blue Sky Robotics have a lot of choices for locations, especially for their headquarters. Chapel Hill’s quality of life, access to talent, strong connections with UNC, and civic infrastructure were all factors in their decision to expand here – and the incentive package served as the icing on the cake.”
Blue Sky Robotics joins several other innovative businesses locating or expanding in downtown Chapel Hill, including Eats2Seats, IotaComm, and Well.