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Clear Ventures recently announced a new investment initiative called Clear Edge, to fund and support AI startups emerging from academic research institutions.
Clear Edge creates a new channel and structure for research-based founders wanting a streamlined way to productize and supercharge go-to-market plans for their IP. It also furthers Clear’s growth and expansion into AI + X, or AI applied to a specific industry or function, leveraging the breakthrough research now taking place at universities seen as crucibles of innovation.
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Leading this new channel is Clear’s newest partner, Vijay Reddy, who brings to the company a successful track record of investing in startups that have emerged from academia. These include SambaNova Systems, Matroid and Landing AI, all founded by faculty from Stanford University; Lilt and Opaque, originating from UC Berkeley, Katana Graph, started at UT Austin; and others from MIT, UCLA and University of Michigan.
The Clear Edge approach for researchers focuses on three focal points:
- Innovators: AI researchers at leading institutions
- Validators: practitioners in the industry with vertical domain expertise
- Implementers: leaders building teams to execute the vision
