Maker, inventor, and founder of hardware startup Opulo
Stephen Hawes is the ultimate inventor – fueled by a spirit of creativity, innovation, and fun. He’s designed and built dozens of inventions from scratch, including a wrist-mounted flamethrower, a robotic prosthetic arm, a glow-in-the-dark bowtie, and more. The one thing he wished he has through it all? An affordable desktop pick-and-place machine. So he made one of those too.
Stephen says the only place he could’ve started his company Opulo is right here in Pittsburgh, where access to resources is plentiful. From real estate for his home and office, to talent from Carnegie Mellon University and University of Pittsburgh, to a supportive community of makers and roboticists, he found everything he needed right here.
Stephen is part of our Pittsburgh Tomorrow Pioneers series, which tells the stories of the founders, creators, and visionaries who are building the future right here in Pittsburgh. See more at pittsburghtomorrow.org/pioneers.
