PITTSBURGH — Gecko Robotics, a western Pennsylvania-based startup located in a miraculously repurposed former shopping mall, announced on Tuesday morning that it has secured a five-year contract with a $71 million ceiling to deploy artificial intelligence and robotics to assess and maintain the health of the assets of the Navy.

Standing in the middle of what was once a bustling Sears Department Store, Jake Loosararian is all smiles about earning this contract and finally being able to do things in the city he loves. Loosararian and Gecko Robotics will help reindustrialize the country’s aging defense system and showcase the intellectual and manufacturing capabilities still thriving in a region renowned for its contributions, not only in building the country, but also its military assets.