Applied AI Conference 2018 – Thank You

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The BootstrapLabs team would like to thank you for attending the Applied AI Conference 2018 and helping us make this event possible. We hope you were as excited as we were with the day of learning, inspiration, and networking.

This was our third annual Applied AI conference and we want to make sure we continue to improve in our future iterations, which is why we wanted to hear your valuable feedback.

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Please take a minute to complete this survey and tell us what you thought worked and what didn’t. Thank you! – Link here. Everyone who responds will be entered in a drawing for free tickets to next year’s conference!

Stay connected with the BootstrapLabs AI Community:

  • AI News: Stay up to date on Applied AI news, by signing up for our weekly Applied AI Digest at this link.
  • AI Events: If you want to continue to engage with the BootstrapLabs community, apply to be an AI Insider here. These events are invitation-only, but we extend invitations to new qualified AI experts.
  • BootstrapLabs Applied AI Conference: We are working to make the conference sessions, interviews, and other content available on our Youtube Channel soon, and we’ll notify you as soon as they are posted. In the meantime check out this highlight article about AAI18 on Fortune Magazine.

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A special thanks goes out to our incredible team, community partners, speakers, and sponsors who contributed to make our conference run smoothly and enjoyable for everyone. Stay tuned for the next Applied AI Conference and other BootstrapLabs events.

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Artificial Intelligence and the 4th Industrial Revolution Webinar

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BooststrapWebinar600x100We’re excited to partner with AI World and AI Trends to bring the free “Artificial Intelligence and the 4th Industrial Revolution” webinar this Friday, March 16th (1:00pm ET).

Today we stand in front of the 4th and largest wave of the industrial revolution, powered by artificial intelligence and data.  The deep Learning model has taken the tech industry by storm. These models require huge amounts of computing power and the latest developments and applied AI systems are pushing the limits of what current chips can support.  Join us for an executive armchair discussion with BootstrapLabs’ Co-Founder, Ben Levy, one of the most active investor in Applied AI software technologies to learn how software and hardware infrastructures will evolve to support the acceleration and adaption of Deep Learning Models in every industry.

Register Now

 

About Ben Levy

Ben Levy is Co-Founder and Partner, Bootstrap Labs. He is a Husband & Father, AI eats Software believer, Tech Investor, Startup Builder, Biz Dev, Funding, M&A Expert, Windsurfer and Snowboarder. In his previous life he was a Technology, Media, and Telecom Investment Banker who advised startup founders and CxOs of Fortune 500 companies on corporate strategy, financing, and M&A. Ben has helped clients raise over $300M from institutional investors and close over $5B in M&A transactions.

 

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Early bird tickets for the Applied AI Conference have sold out. Don’t miss the chance to connect with the World’s leaders in AI!

Get Tickets Now

BootstrapLabs at Mobile World Congress

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Barcelona, Spain – March 5, 2018 – BootstrapLabs Co-Founder, Benjamin Levy, and Principal, Luigi Congedo had a busy week leading a few sessions at the Mobile World Congress last week in Barcelona, sharing AI’s latest implications for the business world.

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Ben was a part of the Artificial Intelligence: Operator Use Cases and AI Everywhere: Innovation & Investment sessions. He discussed the rapid evolution of AI technology and how mobile operators and other providers are starting to leverage AI applications. Ben also provided context regarding the challenges mobile other industries run into when using Artificial Intelligence to change business processes and value.

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Luigi was part of a panel discussion and led a workshop: Applied AI Investment Framework and Applied AI Changes Everything. He shared how Artificial Intelligence is transforming industries such as: Agriculture, Transportation, Manufacturing, Healthcare and many more. He also highlighted the latest investment trends in Artificial Intelligence and guidelines for those interested in leveraging AI’s transformative power.

 

 

Mobile World Congress is a combination of the world’s largest exhibition for the mobile industry and a conference featuring prominent executives representing mobile operators, device manufacturers, technology providers, vendors and content owners from across the world. It is organized by the GSMA and held in the Mobile World Capital, Barcelona.

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Sign up for our newsletter list to receive updates, subscribe here.

Applied AI Conference 2018 Speaker Lineup

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We’re excited to announce some of the speakers that will be joining us at the Applied AI Conference this year:

  • Kay Firth-Butterfield – Head of AI and Machine Learning, World Economic Forum
  • Madhav Thattai – COO, Rigetti Computing
  • Richard Socher – Chief Scientist, Salesforce
  • Sangeeta Chakraborty – Chief Customer Officer, Ayasdi
  • Alex Holub – Founder, Vidora
  • Zachary Hanif – Director – Center for Machine Learning, Capital One
  • Carolina Garcia Rizo – Chief Business Officer, Just Biotherapeutics
  • Nadeem Sheikh – VP Self Driving Programs, Lyft
  • George Mathew – Chief Executive Officer, Kespry
  • John Absmeier – VP – Smart Machines, Samsung
  • Robbie Allen – Chief Executive Officer, Infinia ML
  • Matt Swanson – Chief Executive Officer, Augment

 

See Full Speaker Lineup

 

Don’t let your organization get left behind and spend the day learning about Artificial Intelligence’s latest real-world impact and gather the latest cutting-edge insights from the pioneers in the industry.

 

What people say about the Applied AI Conference:

“I wanted to compliment you on your event last week – really outstanding, top to bottom.”

Bryan Barber, VP. at Warner Bros. Studios

“Congrats on a great event. It takes a lot of work to make things look that smooth and easy. You guys put on a good show, and made possible a lot of connections in the community.”

Matt King, CTO at IUNU

“My hearty congratulations on the Applied AI conference last week. It was truly a tour de force of AI. I learned a lot and made many great new connections. Well done, yet again!”

Anonymous, US Government Official

 

Stay tuned for the final agenda and speaker line-up announcement soon!

 

Our early bird tickets expire March 4th. Register now and save $840.

Get Tickets Now

Announcing the BootstrapLabs Applied AI Insiders Series: AI and Healthcare

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BootstrapLabs Applied AI Insiders HealthTech

BootstrapLabs is thrilled to announce the Applied AI Insiders Series: AI and Healthcare.

Event Summary:

  • Date and Time: Thur, March 8, 2018| 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm
  • Location: Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, 1 Market St # 33, San Francisco, California 94105
  • Registration:this event is INVITE ONLY. If you did not receive an invitation you can request one below.

 

Request Invitation

 

Event Description

Topic: AI and Healthcare: Impacting the Continuum of Care

We stand in front of the 4th and largest wave of the industrial revolution, powered by Artificial Intelligence and Data. This is the biggest opportunity so far for innovation and entrepreneurship, and every single industry will be disrupted and redefined by companies that are not yet even born.

With the AI economic impact projected to reach $15 Trillion by 2030, we believe Applied Artificial Intelligence represents one of the major wealth creation opportunities of this century.

This BootstrapLabs Applied AI Insiders Series event will focus on how AI is impacting the continuum of care, from prescriptive to predictive, to faster, better, decentralized diagnosis, to pre- and post-operation assistance, and personalized treatment.

CxOs across health organizations, as well as doctors and researchers, are starting to grasp the urgency with which they need to test, adopt, and scale AI technologies across their hospitals, practices, and offices. If the ongoing digital transformation is any indicator, these healthcare providers will struggle to adopt this new wave of artificial intelligence technologies. Today AI is very promising, but many solutions will not become tangible or simply not be resilient enough to survive in the real world.

As a VC focused on Applied AI, BootstrapLabs looks beyond the hype and has assembled an extraordinary panel of speakers to take you through the current state of AI and Healthcare. Read more.

Speakers

Ben Levy, Co-Founder, BootstrapLabs

Ben spent the last 20 years in Silicon Valley building and exiting two FinTech startups to Mergent and NASDAQ, investing in disruptive software technologies, and advising CxOs of Fortune 500 Telecom, Media and Technology companies on corporate strategy, financing and M&A.
Ben is a member of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI), an Ambassador of La FrenchTech, as well as a frequent keynote speaker at industry conferences on innovation, technology investing, entrepreneurship, artificial intelligence, and globalization in the US, Europe, and Asia.

Wael Salloum, Ph.D., Co-Founder and Chief Science Officer, Mendel.ai

Wael has an MS in Management Information Systems, a BS in Software Engineering, and an AS in Computer Engineering, all from University of Damascus in Syria. At Columbia University, he received an MS and an MPhil in Natural Language Processing, and a Ph.D. in Computer Science (Computational Linguistics).

Paula Wilbourne, Ph.D., Co-Founder & Chief Officer for Mental Health and Wellness, Sibly

Dr. Wilbourne is a psychologist, co-founder and the Chief Officer for Mental Health and Wellness at Sibly, the most effective and affordable mental heal professional in everyone’s pocket, 24/7. She has worked for 20 years conducting research and implementing tools to improve mental health and wellness. She was the Director of Addiction Treatment Services at the flagship VA in Palo Alto.

Thank You To Our Host and Partner

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Applied Artificial Intelligence Conference 2018 #AAI18

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Applied Artificial Intelligence Digest 2017 Review

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Applied AI Digest 2017

After decades of investing, building, and scaling software companies, BootstrapLabs realized in late 2015 that the world was about to enter a renaissance era for Artificial Intelligence, powered by an explosion of data, plummeting storage costs, increasing connectivity speed, and affordable processing power growing exponentially.

BootstrapLabs has since become one of the most active and respected early stage venture capital firms in Applied Artificial Intelligence, and its community of executives, founders, researchers and investors has grown to over 40,000. Our weekly Applied AI Digest newsletter is read by over 4,000 members, and approximately 2,000 attendees joined our annual Applied AI conferences, quarterly Applied AI Insiders Series, and workshops in the last two years.

Artificial intelligence could add as much as $15.7 trillion – about the combined output of China and India – to the global economy by 2030 but the road ahead will not be without major hurdles. In 2017, VCs invested $10.8 Billion in AI & Machine Learning companies globally and the sector saw over 200 M&A deals in the last 5 years. This is just the tip of the iceberg as most Fortune 1000 corporations will be playing catch-up for many years to come.

Entire industries will be transformed by the power of Artificial Intelligence and tomorrow’s winner are being created today.

We wish you a fantastic start to 2018. To inspire you, we thought we would share our 2nd Annual Applied AI Digest Review Presentation – a recap of all the major AI news and trends of 2017.

Applied Artificial Intelligence Digest 2017 Review

BootstrapLabs and Position A are Partnering to Solve the World’s Hardest Technology Challenges in AI and Cyber

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BootstrapLabs and Position A Partners jointly released the following this morning:

SAN FRANCISCO, December 20, 2017 (Newswire.com) – BootstrapLabs, a leading early-stage venture capital firm focused on Applied Artificial Intelligence, and Position A Partners, a specialized investment, product innovation and corporate development firm, are partnering to offer founders a life-cycle approach to successfully build and scale companies that solve the hardest Artificial Intelligence and Cyber technology challenges in areas such as autonomous vehicles, identity management, data and transaction integrity, critical infrastructure, robotics, healthcare and government.

The world is fast becoming digital, powered by software, data, infrastructure, and increasingly, artificial intelligence. Six years ago, oil firms accounted for six of the top 10 most valuable companies worldwide. Today, only one oil firm remains in the top 10, and six technology companies (Apple, Google, Microsoft, Facebook, Amazon and Alibaba) represent 70 percent of their total market capitalization. This represents the biggest sector shift in modern history, creating major opportunities for new market entrants, but also creating major threats to the core pillars of modern society.

“Cyber, in particular, poses a massive challenge to the very fabric of our society, and few firms are as well positioned as BootstrapLabs and Position A to uncover emerging innovation in cyber, artificial intelligence and next-generation computing that will address this trillion-dollar opportunity,” said Dr. Tom Campbell, special advisor to BootstrapLabs, founder of FutureGrasp  LLC and former National Intelligence Officer for Technology at the National Intelligence Council, ODNI.

According to Cybersecurity Ventures cybercrime damages are expected to cost the world $6 trillion annually by 2021, up from $3 trillion in 2015, and corporations’ budgets for cyber alone are expected to grow to $1 trillion by that same date. Ransomware attacks have been spreading like an epidemic since 2016, and 2017 already recorded $5 billion worth of damages, touching even the most sophisticated and technologically advanced corporations, institutions and nation states.

“Software systems and the infrastructure on which they run are getting increasingly complex, and interconnected. With the recent advances in artificial intelligence, these systems are exponentially more challenging to build, manage and secure. It takes deep domain knowledge, expertise, ingenuity, passion and vision to solve these complex problems and I could not think of a better partner than BootstrapLabs to do this with,” said Herb Kelsey, partner at Position A Partners and former chief architect for a U.S. DoD mission support agency.

Together, the firms combine access to value-add capital and a joint community of some of the world’s best AI and Cyber experts in computer vision, NLP, NLU, DL, mapping, robotics, cybersecurity and blockchain. Founders will be able to accelerate their product-market fit discovery, vet and hire top talent faster, close scalable revenue opportunities sooner and strategically plan exits to some of the group’s close strategic partners or to the public markets.

“There is no need for founders to re-invent the wheel with each venture; a certain product and technology may be unique, but the way to build and scale a company to success isn’t. Together our firms bring a unique combination of proven execution methodologies, skills, deep industry knowledge and resources so that founders can take their venture from early disruptor to market leaders in a fraction of the time, dilution and risks it usually takes,” said Darr Aley, founder and managing partner of Position A Partners.

“After spending decades building, investing and scaling technology companies, I know firsthand how critically important it is for founders to pick the right partners, which is why I founded BootstrapLabs. We have known Position A Partners for years, and as fellow operators and founders, we have the deepest respect for the work they do, and I am very excited to bring together our respective strengths to address some of the greatest opportunities of our time,” said Nicolai Wadstrom, founder and CEO of BootstrapLabs.

About BootstrapLabs

BootstrapLabs is a leading Venture Capital firm based in Silicon Valley and focused on Applied Artificial Intelligence. It actively invests in passionate entrepreneurs building disruptive early-stage technology startups that use AI/ML technologies to solve hard, global problems in sectors such as Transportation, Logistics, Financial Services, Future of Work, Cyber and Healthcare. Select Applied AI portfolio companies include AEye, Pinn Technologies, Vidora, Qurious.io, Roger.ai, Sibly, Indus.ai, Mendel Health, SmartEar, and many others.

Over the years, BootstrapLabs has cultivated a world-class community of 38,000 AI experts, founders, executives, developers and investors to fuel its high-quality deal-flow, provide access to top-tier talent and secure early customers for its portfolio companies. Over 2,000 professionals have attended its Annual Applied AI Conferences, quarterly Insiders Series and monthly workshops. The group also publishes a very popular Applied AI Digest newsletter that is read by more than 4,000 people each week.

About Position A Partners

Position A is a specialized investment, product innovation and corporate development firm working with disruptive technology companies in AI, IoT, Robotics, Autonomous and Electric vehicles, Transportation (all forms), Global Supply Chain and Cyber. The firm works with some of the most important engineers, scientists and business talent of our generation to solve the world’s hardest technology problems that are impacting its network of Private Equity, Family Offices, University Labs, Venture Groups and Nation States partners.

As a catalyst for innovation development and technology adoption, Position A leverages its direct access to critical infrastructure, deep knowledge of the regulatory environment, as well as expertise in forming public/private partnerships to accelerate global product adoption, revenue creation and exits for its clients.

Media Contacts:

BootstrapLabs Group LLC |  Email: info@bootstraplabs.com

Position A Partners LLC | Email: darr@positionapartners.com

BootstrapLabs welcomes Dr. Thomas A. Campbell as Special Advisor

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We are very pleased to announce that Dr. Thomas A. Campbell, a recognized analyst and researcher in emerging and disruptive technologies, has joined BootstrapLabs as a Special Advisor.

“I have known Tom for a few years and I am very excited to have him join BootstrapLabs as a special advisor. His deep domain knowledge and expertise is an invaluable resource to our core mission to address some of the hardest technology challenges and opportunities facing our society for years to come.”  Nicolai Wadstrom, Founder and CEO of BootstrapLabs.

Tom is the Founder & President of FutureGrasp, LLC, which advises organizations on trends and implications of emerging technologies. Before that he was the first National Intelligence Officer for Technology (NIO-TECH) with the National Intelligence Council (NIC) in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI). Tom established and managed liaison relationships with academia, industry, and others to ensure a comprehensive understanding of technology and its intersection with global military, security, economic, financial and energy issues.

Prior to his government service, Tom was Research Associate Professor and Associate Director for Outreach with the Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science (ICTAS) at Virginia Tech for over six years. He led corporate outreach and facilitated large, multi-principal investigator (PI) program and proposal developments in interdisciplinary areas.

Tom holds a Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering Sciences from the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Announcing the Applied AI Conference 2018

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BootstrapLabs is excited to announce the third annual Applied Artificial Intelligence Conference in San Francisco on April 12, 2018.

After the incredible success of 2017’s Applied AI Conference, we’re excited to share this day with over 800 AI professionals.

Watch the video summary of the Applied AI Conference 2017:

The one day conference brings together the brightest and most experienced professionals in the field of AI for an immersive day of learning, discussion, and connections.

This year we will have extraordinary sessions highlighting the practical applications and current business opportunities for Artificial Intelligence technologies across industries including Cybersecurity, Transportation and Logistics, Future of Work, Financial Technologies (FinTech), Healthcare, and more.

During the conference our expert speakers will showcase all of the concrete ways decision makers across the research, investment, corporate, and startup worlds can prepare, organize, and tap into AI’s transformative power.

The 2018 attendees will walk away with insights into the latest trends in Artificial Intelligence, including emerging technologies that are going to deeply change how we will leverage Artificial Intelligence applications.

 

Check out the sessions from some of our world-class speakers in 2017:

  • Amir Khosrowshahi, CTO AI Products Group, Intel
  • Lanny Cohen, Group Chief Technology Officer, Capgemini
  • Jack Clark, Strategy & Communications Director, OpenAI
  • Richard Socher, Chief Scientist, Salesforce
  • Mårten Mickos, CEO, HackerOne
  • Hema Raghavan, Head of Growth Relevance, LinkedIn
  • Danny Lange, VP of AI and Machine Learning, Unity Technologies
  • Nicolai Wadstrom, CEO and Founder, BootstrapLabs

 

What people say about the Applied AI Conference:

“I wanted to compliment you on your event last week – really outstanding, top to bottom.”

Bryan Barber, VP. at Warner Bros. Studios

“Congrats on a great event. It takes a lot of work to make things look that smooth and easy. You guys put on a good show, and made possible a lot of connections in the community.”

Matt King, CTO at IUNU

“My hearty congratulations on the Applied AI conference last week. It was truly a tour de force of AI. I learned a lot and made many great new connections. Well done, yet again!”

Anonymous, US Government Official

 

An attendees list from the Applied Artificial Intelligence Conference 2017 is available at this link.

The 2018 schedule and speaker list will be announced shortly. You can follow the latest information here.

Don’t forget to take advantage of our very limited super early bird tickets right now (save $1000) and don’t hesitate to contact us if you’re interested in speaking or sponsoring AAI18 at info@bootstraplabs.com.

Get Tickets Now

BootstrapLabs at Accelerate AI

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San Francisco, November 2, 2017 – BootstrapLabs Co-Founder, Benjamin Levy, led the “Applied AI: Investment Framework” session at the Accelerate AI last week in San Francisco, sharing AI’s latest implications for the business world.

Ben discussed the rapid evolution of AI technology and its impending impact on a wide range of business sectors. Ben provided some as to why AI is growing so quickly now, and what are some of the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. His presentation highlighted some of the most current investment trends, data projections, and other industry guideposts to help the audience make the most of AI’s transformative power.

 

Accelerate AI, co-located with ODSC West 2017, brings together the top industry executives, managers and CxOs to help you understand how AI and data science can transform your business including: Healthcare, Insurance, Retail, Government, Education, Bio/Pharma, Media & Marketing, Transportation, Finance, Manufacturing, Energy & Utilities, E-commerce, and more.

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BootstrapLabs Workshop: The Hard Things About Deploying and Scaling AI

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There’s no question about it, Artificial Intelligence is booming, the market is expected to grow 20 fold in the next 10 years. What are some of the challenges companies face when building true enterprise grade AI systems? How will companies adopt this new wave of AI technologies? That’s what the experts and attendees we assembled on November 30th for the Applied AI Workshop discussed. Attendees included executives and C-level from Softbank, Forever 21, AT&T, World Bank Group, Capital One, Samsung, Booz Allen Hamilton, Syniverse and more.

A special thanks for supporting the Artificial Intelligence community to the host of the workshop Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati.

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Meet the BootstrapLabs Applied AI Workshop Speaker lineup:

Thomas Campbell, Founder & President, FutureGrasp, LLC

Thomas advises organizations on trends and implications of emerging technologies. As the first National Intelligence Officer for Technology, he served as the focal point for all activities related to emerging and disruptive civil technologies.

Jane McFarlane, Founder & CEO, Seurat Lab

Jane has over 30 years of experience in high performance computing, data analytics and geospatial mapping. She’s been responsible for directing industry research groups including: HERE (a leader in the geospatial mapping), Imara (a lithium ion battery company, and OnStar at General Motors (the first at-scale telematics solution).

Alex Holub, Co-founder & CEO, Vidora

Alex studied AI throughout his academic career at Cornell University and during his Ph.D at Caltech. He founded Vidora with Abhik Majumdar and Philip West in 2012, to put AI in the hands of everyone from marketers to data scientists to execs, providing them a simple platform to ask questions and use answers to automate and optimize their business.

 

One of the biggest challenges mentioned throughout the night was talent: attracting, retaining and growing the pipeline. The competition is fierce and startups and big companies alike have a hard time competing with the giants like Amazon, Facebook and Google.

It’s interesting to see that because of the talent gap, companies are heavily investing in code that can create code as Thomas Campbell mentioned and “when we get to that point when code creating the code is better than humans creating the code, that might start lifting AI to the next level”.

A big hurdle that Thomas Campbell sees in the near future is cybersecurity, a “tsunami of cybersecurity issues” to be exact.  Because cyberbots as opposed to humans will be “faster, more efficient, never resting, omnipresent” and they will be used both for offense and defense, so as he puts it: the future will be AI vs. AI.

 

Prof. Jane McFarlane at UC Berkeley, presented a different set of challenges that AI faces in terms of the data it requires. To power machine learning algorithms, you need tons of data. But, “when you’re in a giant bucket of data, how do you pick out the bad?”

She’s worked in the space for several years and the data used to feed the machine learning algorithms always comes with some bad nuggets you have to parse out. Because of the difficulty associated with weeding out bad data, Jane says autonomous transportation won’t happen in her lifetime, “I’m the Debbie Downer of autonomous transportation”.

Another interesting point that Jane brought up is how overvalued Big Data is, she says “there are some nuggets in Big Data that are valuable, but the rest of it is redundant and costs a lot of money to store.”

 

Alex Holub from Vidora presented another set of challenges that companies scaling up AI projects run into, how do you figure out which methods/techniques to use? With so many options, figuring out the best way to clean the data, which feature engineering and model to leverage is very challenging for teams with limited resources. That’s exactly what Vidora is solving with their product Cortex.

Cortex learns based on the raw data, which feature cleaning, feature engineering and model technique to use. You can think of it as putting probabilities on which is going to be more successful by looking at the raw data set, based on what has worked in past projects with similar input.

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The Artificial Intelligence industry is moving faster than ever before, but there are still big challenges such as: talent, cybersecurity and data veracity that we need to overcome to truly push the industry forward.

THE TIME IS NOW: Why you should not wait to invest in AI

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The world is buzzing about artificial intelligence, but there are many questions left unanswered, like: How will it affect me? What industries are most vulnerable? Are we ready? While no one can offer a crystal clear vision of all that the future holds, it has been our mission at BootstrapLabs to provide both a point of view and a toolkit for you to make the most of it. Here’s why investing in artificial intelligence is a great move to make right now.

The Data Is Here, Now We Need to Apply It

As with most technological revolutions, the wave of artificial intelligence is breaking on the heels of a promising body of research. Much is possible in theory, but those who take the leap and find working applications of the technology will determine how these innovations play out. That’s how we focus our investments – where can our “cognitive computers” make an impact and generate tangible value?

Over the last decade or so, adaptive and efficiency-driven software has swept up the global economy, reshaping entire industries and redefining the way we do just about everything. Early high-rollers like Google and Amazon created computer systems that leveraged vast amounts of data for consumer benefit and quickly became some of the most profitable and influential organizations in the world. The stage is set for a similar land-grab – and potential takeover – with artificial intelligence. Humans created more data in the last 18 months than in the entire history of the world, and we now have computers which can learn from this data more effectively than humans can. This means there is massive opportunity for investment and innovation, and it’s still early days.

AI Creates a Virtuous Cycle

One beautiful thing about machine learning and generative learning technology is that these systems learn adaptively, rather than following a limited set of rules. For Danny Lange, VP of AI and Machine Learning at Unity Technologies (and formerly Uber, Amazon, Microsoft and IBM), this means that his team can keep “gaining knowledge, then maximizing payout with current knowledge; but keep learning and exploring.” An initial investment in AI would not only help improve the way your business currently operates, but also enable you to innovate more rapidly and prepare for the challenges of tomorrow. With a virtuous cycle in motion between your technology, your processes, and your business strategy, you can exponentially increase the value of your organization.

In every field, such a cycle will enable us to tackle bigger and better problem sets, leading to more engaged and productive employees and, eventually, new job creation. This is true because the advancements that applied artificial intelligence offer have as much, if not more, to do with effectiveness as they do with big software’s efficiency. This is like the Internet squared – augmenting not only our access to information, but also our ability to use the information in meaningful ways. For example, startups like Mendel Health have cropped up for this very purpose. Making better decisions, more consistently isn’t just a good business model for a healthcare company, it’s helping save lives every day.

The Future Is In Your Hands

Of course, AI computers won’t be able to do everything by themselves. Yes, they will be ultra-smart data wizards who can make complex decisions in the blink of an eye. But we’re not talking about sentient robots taking over the world. It is we, the humans, who are building systems to steadily enhance the quality of life on this planet. The technology is enabling us to ask better questions – and give better answers – about what we hope to accomplish in this next wave of industry.

At our second annual Applied AI Conference in May, we were humbled and inspired by the amazing group of leaders across many different disciplines taking this project to heart. Researchers, entrepreneurs, investors, journalists, and more are striving for the most desirable outcomes through open dialogue and belief in a better future. As Hema Raghavan, Head of Machine Learning for Growth at LinkedIn, shared during the Conference, “we can build out the curve where everyone adapts together.” The combined investment of human capital, venture capital, and technology is a large-scale collaboration to build the infrastructure of tomorrow.

To rehash the healthcare example, there are especially huge opportunities for improvement in places where our economics are currently misaligned. Disruptors like visual diagnostic startup Captureproof are already “saving patients 99.996% of their time,” according to Founder and CEO Meghan Conroy, and it’s only a matter of time before a watershed change occurs. From niche applications like Captureproof and Mendel to corporate giants like Amazon and Ford making platform plays, the race is on. If you’re still on the starting block waiting for a cue, let this be your starting gun.

Don’t Wait, Don’t Hesitate

Perhaps the most startling thing about the AI revolution is the pace with which it is moving. Predictions for when a computer would be able to beat a human at Go were shattered by 20 years. In Q1 of 2017 alone, $1.7 billion was spent in seed funding for AI startups. If you’re not thinking about how AI will change your business, someone else is. If you aren’t willing to experiment, you will be left in the dust. The beauty here is that once you get started, there is plenty of room to grow and adapt – that’s exactly what AI does.

We’re right at the cusp of when the behind-the-scenes R&D work is turning into investment, and this investment will soon give way to large-scale market adoption. We’re proud to be at the heart of this exciting industry, and as entrepreneurs ourselves, we are ready to take on the challenges that it brings – together.

NICOLAI WADSTROM

Coding since 10 y/o. Founder, CEO, CTO. Advisor, Parallel Entrepreneur, Operator, Angel Investors.

Nicolai is the Founder of BootstrapLabs, a leading venture capital firm, based in Silicon Valley and focused on Applied Artificial Intelligence. Read more.

Announcing the BootstrapLabs Applied AI Insiders Series: FinTech

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BootstrapLabs Applied AI Insiders FinTech

BootstrapLabs is thrilled to announce the BootstrapLabs Applied AI Insiders Series: FinTech.

Event Summary:

  • Date and Time: Mon, December 4, 2017| 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm
  • Location: Google Launchpad Space, 301 Howard Street, San Francisco, California 94105
  • Registration: this event is INVITE ONLY. If you did not receive an invitation you can request one below.

 

Request Invitation

 

Event Description

Topic: Fintech: Artificial Intelligence takes on Wall St. and Main St.

The financial sector represents trillions of dollars in annual spending, most of which goes to technology, security, and infrastructure. Yet, the sector is seeing an unprecedented level of VC funding and potential disruption from new (and some already established) startups that are threatening the incumbents on all sides, including retail banking, individual, business, mortgage and auto loans, peer-to-peer payments, portfolio management, savings, bill payments, international wire transfers, and even money itself.

The financial sector is also no stranger to big data, and few industries are as well equipped to benefit from the promises (and suffer from the risk) of Artificial Intelligence.

During our December Applied AI Insiders Series event, we will explore practical ways AI is being applied to deliver new products and services that are faster, cheaper and better, but also share some thoughts on some of the biggest challenges the sector faces with the advances of AI, broader adoption of blockchain technologies, and disintermediation. Read more.

Speakers

Nicolai Wadstrom, Founder, BootstrapLabs

Nicolai Wadstrom, a serial entrepreneur turned parallel entrepreneur as the founder of BootstrapLabs. Nicolai advises all portfolio startups in their day to day operations, connecting founders with industry experts, advisors and investors to increase their likelihood of success, assisting with product design and development, positioning, go-to-market strategy and implementation, partnerships and fundraising.
Nicolai is a frequent speaker, mentor and judge at top Universities and Conferences in the US and Europe on topics such as Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Disruption, Startups and Venture Capital.

Will Summerlin, Founder and CEO, Pinn

Will Summerlin is the Founder and CEO of Pinn, a cybersecurity company with a mission to solve the digital identity crisis. He was previously a founder of Arrive, a software company providing solutions to intelligent transportation providers. He is currently an advisor to Arrive and Story Ventures.

Cathrine Andersen, Co-founder, Roger.ai

After exiting her first company to Cisco in 2014 and helping to jumpstart innovation efforts within AI/ML for this Silicon Valley giant, Cathrine has now co-founded Roger.ai, building the world’s first borderless bill pay and bill lending platform.

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BootstrapLabs Keynote at the AI Summit San Francisco

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San Francisco, September 28, 2017 – BootstrapLabs Co-Founder, Benjamin Levy, led a keynote session at the AI Summit last week in San Francisco, exploring AI’s latest implications for the business world and our society as a whole.

Ben Levy discussed the rapid evolution of AI technology

Ben discussed the rapid evolution of AI technology and its impending impact on a wide range of business sectors, including finance, healthcare, education, agriculture, and more. His presentation highlighted the most current investment trends, data projections, and other industry guideposts to help light the way forward for those hoping to make the most of AI’s transformative power.

 

 

The AI Summit brings together 2,000+ of the most senior business CxOs, AI visionaries, AI start-up innovators, press/media, and acclaimed researchers in the world. Ben spoke alongside executives from companies such as Google, Microsoft, Unity, Mercedes-Benz, IBM Watson, Netflix, Amazon Web Services, Facebook, Nvidia, and many other leaders in the space.

 

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BootstrapLabs Presents at Lionbridge Global Innovation Symposium

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San Jose, CA, September 21, 2017 – BootstrapLabs co-founder Ben Levy was one of five featured keynote speakers at the Lionbridge Global Innovation Symposium in September.

Lionbridge Ben Levy Presentation

Ben’s presentation was part of a series at the event focusing on “The Impact of AI on Global Customer Experience.” Ben spoke alongside speakers including Falon Fetami, CEO of Node, Peter Isaacson, CMO of Demandbase, and Katell Jantreau, Globalization Manager at Netflix.

The Symposium focused on connecting more effectively with customers using AI and deep learning, from product development to delivering personalized content and streamlining marketing reporting. You can find more information about the event here.

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