Impact Washington closed out October with two Smart Manufacturing Forums in Everett and Tacoma. Held in celebration of Manufacturing Month, these events combined expert presentations and networking opportunities—all centered on demonstrating how smart manufacturing can boost efficiency, and prepare businesses for the future.
Both forums attracted an excellent turnout, with participants actively engaged and eager to apply the insights they gained. Here’s a closer look at our distinguished event speakers.
Speaker Lineup for Smart Manufacturing Forums 2025
We kicked off the events with a simple premise: manufacturers need tools that unlock capacity. The agenda was built to show working examples, lessons learned and the steps manufacturers could take immediately.
The welcome note from Impact Washington's President & Center Director, Kelley Sowards, highlighted the importance of innovation, collaboration, and technological advancement in today’s manufacturing landscape. These opening remarks emphasized the opportunities for connection, knowledge-sharing, and growth that these events offer, creating an inviting atmosphere for all attendees.
Microsoft: The Frontier Firm: AI Agents for Manufacturers
Microsoft set the stage with a look at how "agentic" AI is moving from concept to shop-floor value. The team shared technologies that are shaping the manufacturing industry, broke down the landscape of AI agents, shared a digital strategy for the AI era, and demoed how agents can assist with manufacturers with practical applications, while stressing governance and security.
Our keynote speakers were Simon Floyd, Heeyeong Jeong, and Vignesh Balasubramanian from Microsoft.
Stoke Space | Boltline: Velocity by Design
Drawing from complex hardware programs, Brent Bradbury, VP of Software at Stoke Space and Head of Business at Boltline, highlighted how Stoke Space’s “velocity by design” and commitment to continuous manufacturing and engineering are propelling innovation forward. With its 100% reusable Nova rockets, the company is setting a new standard for sustainability in aerospace—boosting reliability, availability, and cost efficiency.
The takeaway: unify data and workflows around the physical build, so teams can move fast.
Fresh Consulting: Leveraging AI in Manufacturing
Marco Micheletti, Robotics and Automation Director at Fresh Consulting, presented strategies for leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) in the manufacturing industry. He discussed the benefits of AI for small and medium-sized manufacturers, as well as the associated risks, current use cases, and what the future of the industry might look like. Micheletti emphasized how AI continues to shape manufacturing by driving innovation, improving efficiency, and creating new opportunities for growth and adaptation in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.
Skody AI: Smart Planning + Key Metrics: Unlocking Efficiency for Modern Machine Shops
Alex Klimov, CEO and Founder of Skody AI, delivered a presentation focused on smart planning and the key metrics that contribute to unlocking greater efficiency in modern machine shops. He walked through what makes their approach different, production metrics every shop should track, and a short use case illustrating measurable wins from better sequencing. His talk highlighted the importance of strategic decision-making and data-driven approaches in improving overall performance.
Klimov emphasized how understanding and applying the right metrics can help organizations optimize operations, streamline processes, and adapt to the evolving demands of the manufacturing environment.
Loopr AI: Factories That Learn - How Vision and AI Are Creating the Intelligence Layer of Manufacturing
Priyansha Bagaria, Founder and CEO of Loopr AI (Tacoma), and Eric Jewitt, Head of Operations and Partnerships at Loopr AI (Everett), emphasized that many factories are automated but are not yet intelligent.
They spoke on timely and proactive topics, such as: turning visual data into manufacturing intelligence, deploying adaptive, self-learning AI systems across high-mix environments, and real-word results from automotive and aerospace manufacturers.
A Thank You to Our Partners
We extend a special thank you to our partners: BECU, Washington State University Everett, Everett Community College, and the University of Washington Tacoma. Their expertise and commitment to advancing innovation in smart manufacturing have been integral to the success of these forums.
Special thank you to AMTEC for the tour of their facility. Attendees were able to see how students are being prepared for the jobs and technologies discussed during the session, closing the loop between industry needs and workforce readiness.
Through these partnerships, we were able to foster meaningful dialogue, share knowledge, and create opportunities that strengthen Washington's manufacturing ecosystem. We look forward to continuing to work together to drive innovation and excellence in the field.
Both forums were filled with lively discussion, engagement, and industry insights as technology paves the path forward in the manufacturing sector. Attendees left inspired and equipped with practical knowledge to enhance efficiency, drive innovation, and build resilience within their organizations. We are grateful to our partners, speakers, and participants for making these events a success and look forward to continuing to advance the future of smart manufacturing together.
Impact Washington is dedicated to helping manufacturers navigating the rapidly evolving landscape. If you're interested in learning how to integrate AI and smart technology into your operations, contact us today.