Colin Angle to Receive Commonwealth Award from Mass Tech Leadership Council

The iRobot co-founder and CEO will be honored for his contributions to Massachusetts' robotics ecosystem.

Published on Mar. 5, 2026

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The Massachusetts Technology Leadership Council (MTLC) announced that Colin Angle, the co-founder and longtime CEO of iRobot, will receive the organization's highest honor, the Commonwealth Award. Angle has played a pivotal role in building iRobot into a global leader in consumer robotics and helping establish Massachusetts as a hub for robotics innovation, with many of his former employees going on to launch over 15 new robotics companies in the state.

Why it matters

The Commonwealth Award is MTLC's most prestigious honor, recognizing individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the Massachusetts technology community. Angle's leadership at iRobot and his efforts to nurture the state's robotics ecosystem have been instrumental in solidifying the region's status as a global hub for robotics innovation.

The details

Under Angle's guidance, iRobot sold tens of millions of robots globally and helped cement Massachusetts' reputation as a leader in robotics. Beyond his work at iRobot, Angle has also played a significant role in strengthening the broader ecosystem, including helping advance National Robotics Week and serving as a founding board member of MassRobotics, the largest independent robotics hub in the state.

  • The Commonwealth Award ceremony will take place on March 5, 2026.
  • Angle co-founded iRobot in the 1990s and has served as its CEO for over two decades.

The players

Colin Angle

The co-founder and longtime CEO of iRobot, a company that helped define the consumer robotics category and brought advanced robotics into homes around the world.

Massachusetts Technology Leadership Council (MTLC)

The region's leading tech association, dedicated to convening leaders to solve pressing global challenges and boost economic growth in Massachusetts.

MassRobotics

The largest independent robotics hub in Massachusetts, dedicated to accelerating innovation, commercialization, and adoption of robotics technologies.

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What they’re saying

“Colin Angle represents the very best of Massachusetts technology leadership. Beyond the enormous success of iRobot, Colin helped create an entire generation of robotics entrepreneurs and companies, laying the foundation that solidified Massachusetts as a global leader in robotics.”

— Sara Fraim, CEO, Massachusetts Technology Leadership Council (GlobeNewswire)

What’s next

The Mass Tech Leadership Awards ceremony, where Angle will receive the Commonwealth Award, will take place on March 5, 2026.

The takeaway

Angle's leadership and contributions to the robotics industry have been instrumental in establishing Massachusetts as a global hub for innovation in this field. His recognition with the Commonwealth Award underscores the state's status as a premier destination for technology and entrepreneurship.