AI Capital Hosts Global Virtual Conference
Artificial Intelligence: Highly Relevant in a Tumultuous Environment
AI Capital hosted speaking engagements for 31 artificial intelligence experts from major technology providers such as Microsoft and Wasabi, enterprises like IBM, Boston Consulting Group and CreditSuisse, innovative AI ventures including Netra, Link3D and Pattern Computer and AI veterans Dr. Catherine Havasi, Jeff Rose, and Josh Sutton.
This virtual conference provided an overview of how AI solutions implemented in the enterprise will add tremendous value and solve problems that have arisen in this new environment.
There were 497 attendees over the two-day event representing 28 countries: Austria, Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Columbia, Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, U.K., U.S.A., Uruguay, and Vietnam.
Participants enjoyed the opportunity to learn from and interact with industry leaders from the U.S., Europe and Africa, including CEOs of AI companies and AI Capital team members.
AI Capital’s General Partners Neville Teagarden and Ricky Solomon kicked off the event by providing some background on the state of the financial markets and why venture capital can be a powerful addition to a diversified investment portfolio. Citing Cambridge Associates, Mr. Solomon, with over 30 years of Wall Street hedge fund investment management experience, echoed CA’s research on Venture Capital as an asset class. Venture Capital can improve both the risk and return profiles of a portfolio - a classic “free lunch” in the investment world.
Mr. Teagarden outlined AI Capital’s investment thesis: Growth Stage, Enterprise, Applied Artificial Intelligence. “We look for companies who are generating solid revenue and have sold into a few major enterprise customers, as well as having additional sales to SMEs. Our portfolio companies have delivered significant demonstrable and repeatable business metrics for their customers and are positioned for our investment to scale and grow.” By applying AI to the enterprise, AI Capital’s portfolio companies create substantial results - increased revenue, lower expenses, reduced customer churn and other enhanced efficiencies are examples. Regardless of the value-add, these companies are driving extraordinary value in a recurring SaaS model that becomes embedded in a company’s operations. “In times of stress, businesses need even more efficient ways of creating value, and applied AI is at the core of every business decision in every business unit.” These efficiencies create “sticky” revenue and further help to de-risk the investment.
The arrival of COVID-19 and resulting social distancing has led to uneven impacts on different business sectors across the globe. The trend toward applying artificial intelligence to enhance business efficiencies and help find solutions to problems like the current pandemic continues unabated. AI will be at the fore as we come out of this crisis to help industries deal with the new normal. Whether those solutions are reinventing and optimizing workflows, optimizing supply chains or enhancing drug discoveries, the application of AI technology is here to stay.
If you are interested in obtaining slides from the various presenters, please contact us.
