Deep Tech Fund

Welcome to One Startup to Know. This series examines some of AV’s most impactful and innovative portfolio companies that exemplify our investment ethos.

As artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) continue disrupting many industries, companies are increasingly turning to compute-intensive applications. However, achieving and maintaining the extremely large amount of processing these workloads require is extremely difficult due to the inadequacy of existing hardware that can’t manage low power needs — especially in edge markets such as surveillance, smart retail, smart city, mobile phones, and other edge devices.

Welcome to “What’s New @ AV,” where we cover important updates from Alumni Ventures and our portfolio. This month, we share some of our notable exits, uprounds, and investments, including Knix, Robyn, Cultured Decadence, and more.*

If there’s one constant in the world of connected technology, it’s that change is inevitable. Hardware and software protocols are drafted and retired; manufacturers strive to keep pace with demand from retail consumers, corporations, and governments; and the envelope for speed and reliability is constantly pushed. Today’s leading-edge devices can become little more than a paperweight in five years’ time.