The House AI Accelerator: Powered By World’s Most Influential AI Companies
Berkeley’s position as the industry’s global center for AI startups grows with support from Databricks, OpenAI, Google’s Gradient Ventures and Microsoft’s M12 & Microsoft for Startups. The House AI Accelerator will invest $1M in each startup.
We are excited to announce the launch of The House AI Accelerator with support from OpenAI and Databricks, the world’s highest-valued private AI unicorns. Databricks’ reported valuation is $31 billion.
OpenAI and our portfolio startup Databricks both have Berkeley co-founders. They’re supporting The House AI Accelerator to help enable the next billion-dollar AI startups founded by Berkeley alumni, faculty, students, and affiliates.
We’re also launching with the world’s biggest AI companies Google, via their AI fund Gradient Ventures, and Microsoft, via Microsoft for Startups & M12. The powerful University of California (UC) system and the leading AI research lab, Berkeley AI Research (BAIR), are our academic partners.
The House Fund has been investing in the top Berkeley AI startups since our 2016 inception. We doubled down on AI in 2018 with the launch of our global AI initiative, AI@The House, adding 6 of the world’s most formidable, entrepreneurial AI researchers to our team, including Professor Ion Stoica, Databricks’ Co-Founder and Chairman.
Berkeley’s legacy as a pioneer and champion of open source, free speech, and artificial intelligence for decades has made it a natural center for developing AI that can create a positive impact on society. Influential AI startups Databricks and OpenAI leverage this Berkeley DNA in their operations — Databricks provides data teams with tools to solve the world’s toughest problems, including in healthcare and life sciences and OpenAI is actively pursuing safe AGI.
This is a first-of-its-kind program purpose-built for AI founders. The House Fund will invest $1 million in startups accepted into the program. Participants receive free and/or early access to Databricks and Microsoft technology. OpenAI will be providing support in the form of credits. Founders will also get mentorship from Berkeley founders and execs at these companies, as well as Gradient Ventures and Berkeley’s top AI professors.
According to Michael I. Jordan, AI Pioneer and Professor at UC Berkeley, “Berkeley founders think outside of the box, look at the bigger picture, and want to use AI to solve real-world problems and make an impact in areas like healthcare, climate change, education, financial services, and transportation.”
This program also has a unique partnership with UC, the innovation engine of California. “UC and Berkeley have a rich 150-year history of consistent breakthrough innovation, which will shape the future of AI with its talent base of 2.5 million people,” said Jagdeep Singh Bachher, CIO at UC Investments.
“Berkeley founders are some of the most ambitious technologists in the world. We look forward to working with participating AI startups,” said Ali Ghodsi, Co-Founder and CEO of Databricks and AI Professor at UC Berkeley.
In addition to $1M in funding, each startup will get up to $750k in AI specific perks and access to a free office at The House, a new AI space opening soon on campus. The House Fund’s AI Accelerator program is now accepting applications at thehouse.fund/ai-accelerator.
You’ll be joining a legacy of iconic Berkeley companies like Apple, Intel, Tesla, as well as the 100+ IPOs and 100+ Unicorns built by Berkeley founders over the last several decades. Berkeley-powered startups are building our future.
The future of AI is now. We are excited to learn how you want to leverage AI to improve our society. We are here to help you, leveraging the power of the Berkeley ecosystem and AI, to scale it for the world.
-Fiance and The House Fund Team
The House Fund: pre-seed and early-stage venture capital fund — the first fund focused on Berkeley and AI.
OpenAI: an AI research and deployment company focused on safe AGI.
Databricks: the lakehouse company with an open and unified platform for data and AI.
Microsoft, via Microsoft for Startups and M12: resource platform for supporting startups and venture capital fund.
Google, via Gradient Ventures: Google’s AI fund.
University of California, via UC Investments: University of California system’s office of the Chief Investment Officer of the Regents.
Berkeley Artificial Intelligence Research (BAIR): UC Berkeley’s AI research umbrella organization, including 50+ faculty and 300+ grad students and postdocs.
