-
85 startups now benefit from this flagship program.
-
11 startups are now focused on developing transformative GenAI and ML capabilities.
-
NetApp is helping businesses scale up their GenAI capabilities.
BENGALURU, India., July 17, 2024: NetApp® (NASDAQ: NTAP), the intelligent data infrastructure company, today launched Cohort 13 of its flagship startup accelerator program, NetApp Excellerator. Capitalizing on the significance of AI as a key driver of business growth, Cohort 13 will see participation from eight startups that are developing innovative solutions across data management and artificial intelligence domains.
Cohort 13 brings forth eight deep tech startups: LEGO AI, Calibr, Xylem AI, Clika, BetterData, Syntonym, Enkrypt AI, and Portkey. They have been selected for their innovative solutions in areas such as analytics, edtech, AI infrastructure, MLOps, synthetic data, large language models (LLM) safety benchmarking, and LLMOps that produce Gen AI apps reliably and securely. These are some of the best new-age businesses from around the world, including ventures from the United States, Turkey, South Korea, and Singapore. This diverse global representation underscores the program’s ability to attract and nurture innovative talent on an international scale, fostering cross-border collaboration and driving advancements in artificial intelligence across multiple geos.
The participating startups bring a diverse range of innovative solutions that harness the power of generative AI (GenAI) to drive business growth and transformation. Xylem AI’s managed platform enables teams to train, deploy, and scale LLMs effortlessly, while Clika optimizes machine learning (ML) models for better performance and efficiency. Enkrypt AI provides visibility and security for GenAI applications. Syntonym, on the other hand, leverages GenAI and privacy technologies for synthetic face generation. With their cutting-edge solutions, these startups empower businesses to build robust GenAI capabilities, accelerate AI adoption, and unlock new possibilities across various domains.
The launch of Cohort 13 follows closely on the heels of the release of NetApp’s 2024 Cloud Complexity Report. This highlighted that India leads the world in AI and cloud innovation, with 70% of companies having AI projects up and running or in motion, compared to the global average of 49%. The report emphasizes the importance of unified data infrastructure in achieving AI success, a theme resonant with the objectives of Cohort 13, which focuses on developing robust AI solutions. Data plays a critical role in enhancing AI capabilities, and the program aims to support startups in leveraging this data to drive innovation and growth.
Through NetApp Excellerator, startups can enjoy access to resources, mentors, and industry experts across geographies to help them gain maximum exposure and knowledge. Over the last seven years, NetApp has mentored a total of 85 startups, of which 34 are global.
Speaking on the launch of NetApp Excellerator Cohort 13, Vasanthi Ramesh, Vice President of Engineering, NetApp India, said, “With Cohort 13, we’re doubling down on AI innovation. This batch of startups represents our commitment to fostering solutions in AI infrastructure management and AI. We’re excited to see how these startups will drive growth and shape the tech landscape. Through NetApp Excellerator, we’re providing the support and resources these startups need to succeed, and we’re excited to be a part of their journey. We take pride in seeing the NetApp Excellerator program grow, and we eagerly anticipate catalyzing growth and empowering participants to thrive in the deep tech ecosystem.”
The startups finalized for cohort 13 are developing cutting-edge GenAI solutions that require robust data infrastructure to power their innovations. NetApp’s newly announced high-performance AFF A-Series systems and unified data storage solutions provide the ideal foundation, with industry-leading performance, integrated security features like ransomware protection, and seamless hybrid cloud capabilities. This intelligent data infrastructure enables startups to unlock the full potential of data, build transformative AI applications, and fuel demanding workloads. It aims to shape the future of AI innovation as organizations increasingly leverage AI for growth and competitive advantage by eliminating data silos.
Adapting to the ever-evolving dynamics of the technology sector, the NetApp Excellerator program has continuously advanced. United by a common vision, the collaboration between NetApp’s mentors, leaders, and startups has catalyzed substantial advancements within the realm of deep tech. Their success can be seen through alumni who have gone on to raise over 350 million USD collectively.
The NetApp Excellerator program, which was launched in 2017, has been recognized as one of the top five accelerator programs in India for corporate innovation by the NexTT Awards. It includes a proof-of-concept (PoC) model that allows entrepreneurs to demonstrate the effectiveness of their solutions in the real world. In collaboration with NetApp, the startups refine their minimum viable products (MVPs) and identify new use cases. This information is then used to develop their go-to-market strategies.
For more information or to apply, please visit http://startup.netapp.in/ and follow #NetAppExcellerator on social media at @NetAppIndia.
NetApp Excellerator Cohort 13 startups, at a glance:
| S.No. | Start-Up | Focus Area | Website | Brief Description |
| 1 | LEGO AI | Analytics | https://legoai.com/ | GenAI Powered analytics platform that automatically converts business requirements into executable machine language, enabling users with explainable & accurate insights at unparalleled speed & scale |
| 2 | Calibr | EdTech | https://calibrai.ai/ | Generative AI powered e-learning platform for modern day organisations. Calibr offers unified Learning Experience Platform (LXP) and Learning Management System (LMS) along with a Generative AI enabled course authoring platform. |
| 3 | Xylem AI | AI Infra | https://xylem.ai/ | Xylem is a fully managed platform for teams to train, deploy and scale LLMs in production without any added engineering efforts. |
| 4 | Clika | MLOps | https://clika.io/ | CLIKA offers tools that reduce your ML models into energy-efficient sizes while also improving their inference performance, accuracy and speed. |
| 5 | BetterData | Synthetic Data | https://www.betterdata.ai/ | BetterData’s AI Programmable Synthetic Data Platform makes data sharing instant and safe by anonymising sensitive real data into privacy preserving synthetic data that looks, feels and behaves just like real data. |
| 6 | Syntonym | Synthetic Data | https://www.syntonym.com/ | Syntonym’s face generation technology creates unique and anonymous faces in real-time, whether on mobile, cloud, or local platforms, ensuring individuals have a secure and reliable solution to safeguard their privacy and anonymity when required. |
| 7 | Enkrypt AI | AI Security | https://www.enkryptai.com/ | Enkrypt AI’s Sentry is the only platform that combines both visibility and security for generative AI applications at the enterprise, so that enterprises can secure and accelerate their Generative AI Adoption with |
| 8 | Portkey | AI Infra | https://portkey.ai/ | Ship reliable, fast, and cost-efficient Gen AI apps with Portkey’s Observability Suite and Open-source AI Gateway. |
Do Follow: CIO News LinkedIn Account | CIO News Facebook | CIO News Youtube | CIO News Twitter
About us:
CIO News is the premier platform dedicated to delivering the latest news, updates, and insights from the CIO industry. As a trusted source in the technology and IT sector, we provide a comprehensive resource for executives and professionals seeking to stay informed and ahead of the curve. With a focus on cutting-edge developments and trends, CIO News serves as your go-to destination for staying abreast of the rapidly evolving landscape of technology and IT. Founded in June 2020, CIO News has rapidly evolved with ambitious growth plans to expand globally, targeting markets in the Middle East & Africa, ASEAN, USA, and the UK.
CIO News is a proprietary of Mercadeo Multiventures Pvt Ltd.
