NetApp recently launched Cohort 13 of its flagship startup accelerator program – NetApp Excellerator. Capitalising 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 productionises 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 optimises 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 emphasises 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 out 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 represent 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 catalysing growth and empowering participants to thrive in the deep tech ecosystem.”
The startups finalised 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 organisations 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 have catalysed substantial advancements within the realm of deep tech. Their success can be seen through alumni who have gone on to raise over 350Mn USD collectively.
The NetApp Excellerator program, which was launched in 2017, has been recognised as one of the top five accelerator programs in India for corporate innovation by 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.
