Piaggio Fast Forward is fast forwarding its presence and activity in Boston.
Launched by the Piaggio Group in 2015, Piaggio Fast Forward is a tech spinoff of the Vespa-maker and was established to rethink tech in transportation and mobility. In October this year, the company unveiled its 20,000 square feet headquarters in Charlestown and at the time said it was scouting for more space to accommodate its production and assembly facility.
The search came to an end with an expanded 10,000 square foot space also in Charlestown at ACME Row 90 Cambridge Street. This unveiling comes in time for the company to launch its luggage-carrying robot called 'gita.' The expansion means that all future 'gitas' will be designed and assembled in Charlestown with the company adding 100 jobs. Open positions on the company website include roles in engineering, recruiting and people's operations.
In development since 2015, Gita is a "mobile luggage carrying device" which can ferry up to 45 pounds of stuff for city-dwellers and pedestrians. Dubbed as a "Follow Me" mobile carrier, the company plans to launch the robot for sale in 2019.
Michele e Colaninno, Piaggio Fast Forward Chairman, in a statement said: "This is a fundamental step toward the future of mobility for Piaggio Group. We decided to produce 'gita' in the US, and particularly in Boston, because this is the cornerstone of robotics, and this is the city where we found the most fertile ground to grow our innovative ideas."
