Union Square Ventures is a private equity and venture capital firm focused on early-stage, growth capital, late-stage, and startup financing. The USV portfolio companies create services that have the potential to fundamentally transform important markets.  It exclusively invests in the internet world, focusing on the applications layer of the web, internet services, and web services that create large networks as well as the mobile sector. Some of its invested companies are based in New York, San Francisco, London, Berlin, and places in between. It typically makes a starting investment in portfolio companies of $1 million. In certain Series Around cases, the firm may make a starting investment between $2.5 million to $3 million. It typically invests up to $20 million in any single company. Union Square Ventures was founded in 2003 and is based in New York, United States.

Union Square Ventures

Abstract Ventures is a sector agnostic venture investor in pre-seed, seed, Series A and B startup companies. It serves as pavers for founders, making vital connections for fundraising, talent, customers, and advice. The firm is a dot connector, counting the world’s most visionary investors, founders, and industry leaders as our allies.

Abstract Ventures

BlockTower is a crypto and blockchain investment firm that uses trading, investing, and portfolio management to this digital asset class.

BlockTower Capital

Impatient Ventures invests in the founders building the future of internet money and enterprise tools. The firm was founded in 2015 and is based in Los Angeles, California.

Impatient Ventures

Spice Capital is a pre-seed and seed venture capital firm.

Spice Capital

Ex/Ante is a venture capital advisory firm that offers a decentralized platform that allows investors to control and manage investments.

Ex/Ante

Anon

Anon is building the infrastructure to unlock the potential of AI applications by providing a secure way for billions of agents to authenticate and operate across the internet. By leveraging user-permissioned authentication, Anon handles secure credential collection, 2FA handling, CAPTCHAs, IP proxying, and more to deliver reliable integrations for services that don't have APIs. With Anon, developers can embed an SDK in their application and use the API to authenticate users, manage user sessions, and take actions on behalf of users across popular sites on the internet.

Anon provides developers with an automated, secure authentication tool designed specifically for GenAI-powered applications and workflows. The company's solution is delivered through a software development kit (SDK), allowing developers to easily integrate authentication services using minimal code. The company previously focused on building AI agents and shifted to AI agent authentication solutions as it realized a supply gap.

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Generative AI Infrastructure

Anon Raises $6.5M in Funding

Anon provides developers with an automated, secure authentication tool designed specifically for GenAI-powered applications and workflows. The company's solution is delivered through a software development kit (SDK), allowing developers to easily integrate authentication services using minimal code. The company previously focused on building AI agents and shifted to AI agent authentication solutions as it realized a supply gap.&nbsp;The platform provides a toolkit that allows AI agents to integrate with the internet at scale by authenticating and taking actions on behalf of users across websites and services that lack open APIs. Anon is implementing a zero-trust architecture to address security concerns where users retain full control of their credentials. The system uses split-key encryption, with half held by the user and half by Anon, requiring both to unlock it. The platform also supports various authentication types, such as SSO, OAuth, 2FA, and CAPTCHAs.As of September 2024, Anon was in private beta. The company planned to expand its product scope as AI becomes more integrated into the internet. This included working with companies building CRMs to auto-record LinkedIn messages for candidates, sales teams to aggregate orders via WhatsApp, and personal assistant applications to book travel, make purchases, and secure reservations across platforms like Amazon, Uber, and OpenTable. Key customers and partnershipsAs of September 2024, notable enterprises using the platform included MultiOn, Delphi, and Personal.ai.Competitors: None; the product is unique. (Anon focuses on providing authentication infrastructure for GenAI-powered autonomous agents to access third-party websites.)

<div>
 
 Founded in Israel, NeuReality specializes in providing hardware infrastructure to streamline computation processes to accelerate the development of AI applications. Its technology assists AI inferencing deployment by offering a comprehensive system solution that seamlessly supports a vast array of deep learning models.
 
 
 NeuRealitys&rsquo; infrastructure includes an architecture called the Network Addressable Processing Unit (NAPU) to maximize the capabilities of Deep Learning Accelerators (DLAs). This design facilitates inference through purpose-built NAPUs that are specifically crafted for AI inference tasks, enhancing performance and efficiency.
 
 
 The NR1 AI Inference Solution by NeuReality is a comprehensive system comprising architecture, hardware, and software platforms. Launched in November 2023, it intends to simplify the installation, utilization, and management of AI, making it accessible and manageable for users.
 
 
 The hardware offerings of the solution include,
 
 
 1. 
 NR1 Network Addressable Processing Unit
 : A network addressable inference Server-on-a-Chip with an embedded Neural Network Engine, which is a workflow-optimized hardware device with specialized processing units, native network capabilities, and virtualization capabilities
 
 
 2. 
 NR1-M&trade; AI Inference Module
 : A full-height, double-wide PCIe card containing one NR1 Network Addressable Processing Unit (NAPU) system-on-chip and a network addressable Inference Server that can connect to an external Deep Learning Accelerator (DLA)
 
 
 3. 
 NR1-S AI Inference Appliance
 : An optimized design for an inference server that contains NR1-M modules with the NR1 NAPU, which enables disaggregated AI service in a scalable and efficient architecture
 
 
 The software component of the solution is designed to be compatible with any trained model from any development environment. It includes tools that handle the entire AI pipeline and enable seamless connection of AI workflows to any environment.
 
 
 NeuReality differs from traditional AI chip connectivity in replacing CPU-centric support with an AI-centric platform. This allows components to communicate directly with AI accelerators, eliminating the need for commands to pass through a central processing unit. Additionally, the technology enables AI accelerators to connect with each other, enhancing efficiency and performance in AI applications. It also claims its AI-centric approach reduces complexity, cost, and power usage. The firm claims it can reduce inference costs by 90%.
 
 
 Key customers and partnerships
 
 
 In November 2021, NeuReality teamed up with IBM to develop advanced AI inference technology by enhancing its NR1 chip and system for use in IBM's Hybrid Cloud.
 
 
 In September 2021, the company partnered with Xilinx to develop AI-centric platforms that improve real-world AI applications. This collaboration was intended to focus on NeuReality's AI-centric inference platform NR1-P and address existing issues with AI deployment including cost and complexity.
 
 
 Funding and financials
 
 
 In 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/27745">
 March 2024
 </a>
 , NeuReality secured USD 20 million in funding led by The European Innovation Council (EIC) Fund. The funds were intended to accelerate the deployment of NeuReality&rsquo;s NR1AI Inference Solution.
 
 
 In December 2022, it secured USD 35 million in a Series A funding round led by Samsung Ventures, with Cardumen Capital, Varana Capital, OurCrowd, XT Hi-Tech, and others as participants. The funding was used to launch its flagship AI inferencing solution.
 
</div>

NeuReality

<div>
 
 Accubits is an AI and BLOCKCHAIN focused development and solutions company based in Washington DC with its development offices in India and Dubai. Pioneering as a custom Blockchain solutions provider delivering solutions ever since 2012, Accubits is one of the oldest and experienced Blockchain dev house in the market and is featured as one among the top 13 Blockchain companies in India by INC42. We are a big family of engineers, innovators, inventors and many others continually working to help our customers in leveraging their business and adding value to their lives. Over the past 6 years, We have delivered more than 600 projects, for over 200 clients worldwide. Several of Fortune 500 companies in sectors from Retail to Health are being powered by our solutions to streamline and leverage their growth.Our portfolio for AI solutions includes intelligent conversational tools, RPAs, CRMs, SIPs, real-time video and image analytics systems, state of the art ALPR systems and many more being used enterprises, startups across North America, Canada, Middle East, Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia, India &amp; Sweden. Our portfolio of Blockchain development includes custom DApps and smart contracts, crypto token and exchange development, integrated blockchain services and ICO platforms.
 
</div>

Accubits

<div>
 
 LeewayHertz is a leading software development company delivering tailor-made digital solutions to businesses worldwide. Our team of 250+ full-stack developers, designers and innovators has designed and developed 100+ digital solutions across industry verticals. As a close-knit team of AI and web3 experts, designers and full-stack developers, we undertake collaborative research and development to create next-gen applications and solutions perfectly suited to the evolving tech space. As a technology pioneer with deep knowledge and expertise in AI, blockchain and other advanced technologies like IoT, LeewayHertz believes in helping companies overcome their most complex tech challenges and drive business growth. Our motto, &lsquo;You Dream It: We Build It,&rsquo; reflects our business philosophy. From putting flesh on your idea to delivering the expected end product, we do whatever it takes to make your project successful. Having worked with 30+ top fortune 500 companies and created various on-demand solutions, we boast an impressive work portfolio demonstrating our expertise.
 
</div>

LeewayHertz

Databricks, a data and AI company established by the original developers behind prominent Big Data solutions such as Delta Lake, Apache Spark, and MLflow, and provides organizations with AI and data analytics tools for efficient management of their data.Databricks' primary product is the Databricks Lakehouse platform, a unified data intelligence platform that merges a data warehouse and data lake to provide developers with efficient access to data and enables enterprise customers to create their AI models—similar to a ChatGPT-style AI system—using only their internal data.Databricks Unity Catalog, part of the Databricks Lakehouse Platform, provides unified governance for structured and unstructured data, machine-learning models, notebooks, dashboards, and files across various environments, offering automated monitoring, proactive alerts, and seamless data sharing through Delta Sharing integration. Furthermore, Databricks offers an open architecture that streamlines the AI development process, allowing the integration of various LLMs such as Llama 2, Azure OpenAI, and Anthropic, enabling customization with enterprise data for tailored model creation.Notably, Lakehouse leverages NVIDIA technology for accelerated data processing and AI model generation. Databricks also offers industry-specific solutions like Databricks Lakehouse for Healthcare, Financial Services, Retail, and Manufacturing.Databricks has expanded its offerings through multiple acquisitions, including MosaicML ( <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/19683">July 2023 </a>), Arcion ( <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/23041">October 2023 </a>), Okera ( <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/18197">May 2023 </a>), and Datajoy (October 2022). Key customers and partnershipsAs of July 2023, Databricks served a global customer base of approximately 10,000, including notable customers such as Comcast, DuPont, Honeywell, Rolls-Royce, Shell, and Tata Steel.Notable partnerships include collaboration with NVIDIA to incorporate NVIDIA TensorRT-LLM into its inference service and a partnership with Hevo-Data to automate data integration into the lakehouse for mutual customers (October 2022).Databricks also partnered with Karini AI to accelerate GenAI deployment for enterprises (<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/33687">September 2024</a>)Databricks also provides an LLM Mesh partner program; it has partnered with firms such as <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/24218">Dataiku </a>where an emphasis is placed on comprehensive data access, enabling tight integration of GenAI applications with enterprise data.

Databricks

<div>
 
 Labelbox offers a data-centric AI platform for enterprises, enabling them to develop, optimize, and use AI to solve complex problems and power new products and services.&nbsp;&nbsp;
 
 
 Labelbox&rsquo;s platform offers capabilities for building, optimizing, training, fine-tuning LLMs, and AI-enabled data labeling automation.&nbsp;
 
 
 Its products include&nbsp;
 
 
 1) Catalog: A platform for building AI applications with features such as advanced search capabilities and optimizing data for labeling budgets
 
 
 2) Annotate: A data labeling solution designed to streamline and accelerate labeling operations using automation tools and pre-labeling techniques
 
 
 (3) Model: Offers tools for data enrichment, model-assisted labeling, and custom Foundry Apps to automate data management tasks and improve AI model performance&nbsp;&nbsp;
 
 
 (4) Boost: Offers fully managed tailored solutions such as on-demand data labeling services to enhance AI development speed and efficiency.&nbsp;
 
 
 As such, Labelbox enables companies to streamline the fine-tuning and alignment of LLMs and enables the validation of outputs through techniques such as reinforcement learning with human feedback (RLHF), reinforcement learning from AI feedback (RELIEF), and evaluation. This incorporation of human expertise ensures more accurate, contextually relevant, trustworthy, and secure results from LLM systems.
 
 
 The platform is offered through a SaaS subscription model with packages ranging from free subscriptions with limited usage and custom pricing for enterprises.
 
 
 Key customers and partnerships
 
 
 The firm's solutions have use cases across diverse industries, including retail, consumer internet, healthcare, manufacturing, and financial services. Labelbox has a large portfolio of customers, including NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Blue River Technology, a smart AgriTech company that used Labelbox's model-assisted labeling suite to enhance its See &amp; Spray technology in smart agriculture, resulting in herbicide cost savings of 70%&ndash;80. Labelbox's customers also include several Fortune 500 companies, such as Walmart, P&amp;G, Audi Adobe, Airbnb, Bayer, and Bosch.
 
 
 Key partnerships include a long-term collaboration with 
 <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/21770">
 Google Cloud
 </a>
 to facilitate digital transformations in retail, consumer internet, financial services, and manufacturing and logistics.
 
 
 Funding and financials
 
 
 In January 2022, the firm raised USD 110 million in Series D funding led by SoftBank's Vision Fund 2. The company planned to utilize the funds to finance company expansion.
 
 
 
</div>

Labelbox

Integrated solutions that handle various processes such as model training, fine-tuning, model deployment, monitoring, and maintenance in working with and deploying LLMs

Platforms that provide hardware such as high-performance CPUs, GPUs, or TPUs, including cloud-based solutions that are commonly used to train and run GenAI models efficiently

Platforms that assist with fine-tuning pre-trained GenAI models or custom models tailored to specific use cases. Includes services that train models from scratch or use existing models

Platforms that store and retrieve training data in vector databases for access during the model training phase

Services to deploy GenAI models (on-premises or cloud-based) into production environments and integration tools to support existing systems and workflows

Ongoing monitoring of GenAI models to ensure performance. Includes regular model retraining, performance optimization, and troubleshooting

Platforms that assist in designing and refining prompts or instructions to GenAI models to get the desired responses or outcomes

Platforms that develop and implement strategies, policies, and practices to ensure the responsible, secure, ethical, and safe use of Generative AI technologies within an organization.

All services offered by these companies provide support to AI/ML

NLP is a key component of generative AI which is the core focus of this hub.

All companies within this space are offering infrastructure for generative AI

Generative AI infrastructure hub covers companies that deploy and run these foundation models.

PROMINENT_CATEGORY

<div>
 AI agent infrastructure firm Anon has raised $6.5 million through two rounds of funding: a pre-seed round that raised $2 million and a seed round where they obtained $4.5 million. The leading participants in these investment rounds were Abstract Ventures and Union Square Ventures, with Impatient Ventures and several angel investors also contributing. The company has also publicly launched its platform.
 These acquired funds are intended for the expansion of the company's development projects and operations.&nbsp;
 Anon provides a toolkit that developers can use to construct small task-specific virtual assistants. These can perform tasks such as the automatic recording of LinkedIn messages for later dispatch to potential hires, collecting sales orders through WhatsApp, and undertaking functions of a personal assistant, among others. The company is responsible for secure credential collection and validation, multi-factor authentication, and handling authentication on behalf of the end user.
</div>

Anon

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