Australia’s inaugural 'AI Sprint' has awarded half a million dollars in funding to help three artificial intelligence (AI) companies launch their promising prototypes to market.
Australia’s AI Sprint is a collaboration between the National AI Centre, Australia's largest innovation community Stone & Chalk, and Google Cloud.
The winning prototypes from over 190 participating start-ups were Dragonfly Thinking’s complex decision navigator, Kindship’s NDIS guidance system, and Empathetic AI’s tax co-pilot.
Winner Dragonfly Thinking will be awarded $300,000 worth of research and development support from a leading Australian research institution and facilitation services from CSIRO’s SME Connect, while Kindship and Empathetic AI will receive $100,000 worth of support.
Winners are also eligible for a range of support services from Stone & Chalk to help them secure the essential capital, customers, expertise and talent for the most successful launch of their business.
National AI Centre Director Stela Solar said Dragonfly Thinking, Kindship and Empathetic AI had demonstrated remarkable potential to solve a critical market need.
“They were chosen for their ability to scale an innovative, responsible, and competitive AI business in today’s market,” said Ms Solar.
“They all have exceptionally bright futures ahead of them, and we’re proud to have provided the opportunity to help them transform their AI concepts into real-world impact.”
CEO of Stone & Chalk group, Chris Kirk, said the AI Sprint demonstrated Australia's commitment to nurturing a thriving and successful AI industry.
“The AI Sprint has been an incredible initiative that will undoubtedly propel Australia's AI ecosystem forward. By bringing together the brightest minds, innovative ideas and cutting-edge resources, we have fostered an environment ripe for groundbreaking advancements in artificial intelligence.”
Michael Langford, Head of VC and Startup Ecosystem JAPAC, Google Cloud, said the calibre of participating teams had been truly impressive, and he was excited to see their solutions showcased.
“Google Cloud is proud to support the AI Sprint, fostering innovation and empowering startups to build a stronger digital future by addressing critical national challenges through AI.”
The National AI Centre, Stone & Chalk, and Google Cloud extend their congratulations to the top 10 and top 35, whose AI prototypes reflect the remarkable talent in Australia's startup scene.
These include a public sentiment tracker for affordability, a scam detection tool for digital communications, an AI-integrated downlight and smoke alarm system, and non-wearable monitoring system to aid elderly independence.