Sami Shalabi

So great to speak to Mohammed Islam on The Mo Show podcast last week! Watch the full episode here!

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Hot off the pre-print server – an important publication authored by the Atropos Health team exploring the performance of LLMs in answering real-world clinical questions. LLMs excel at summarizing and contextualizing existing literature, but cannot generate de novo medical evidence today. The results of the study highlight performance gains attributable to injecting novel, relevant, and up-to-date medical evidence into LLM-powered clinical decision support systems. Brigham Hyde Nigam Shah Saurabh Gombar Read the study here: https://lnkd.in/ecuU25Pq

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One of my proudest moments as an investor occurred today as Alaffia Health announced its series A because it shows how the Aperture® Venture Capital vision of multi-level, multi-generational #impactinvesting is succeeding in the marketplace. Here’s the model in its most basic form : ✅As diverse fund managers with meaningful capital to allocate, we are changing the VC landscape every day just by doing our day jobs. ✅As Black/Brown investors with ~40 years experience collectively, Aperture GPs have access to talent /excellence that others do not, so our portfolio *organically* is more inclusive by race, gender and geography even while optimizing for financial outcomes (all about the alpha). ✅Our most successful portco’s are using financial #innovation to solve market problems that impact underrepresented demographics and underserved communities. Alaffia Health is a shining example of the impact portion of our overall fund thesis, and we couldn’t be prouder of TJ Ademiluyi and Adun Akanni, MPH, PMP - the dynamic brother-sister founder duo whose vision we have steadfastly supported on their journey. Congratulations to TJ and Adun from William Crowder and myself, as well as the whole Aperture team- Marjorie King Philip McKenzie Yves Louis-Jacques Tanvi Lal Michelle Dhansinghani Lisha Bell Katie Kelly Amy Chung Cindy Chong, CFA Brian Fernandes-Halloran Monroe France Jayden Pantel Darren Herman Evan Wladis Neal Triplett Thomas Scriven Peter Ammon Irina Bit-Babik Tim Milanich Rob Rahbari

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In just 7 weeks, we've turned the idea Outhad AI! 🚀 into a revenue-generating startup, thanks to the incredible support from Anthony Swindell and the gener8tor team. 🙌 Join us on December 11th at 6 PM at the gBETA Beloit Showcase as we share our story, talk tech, and showcase how Outhad AI is shaping the #future of e-commerce with AI-powered #recommendations. Learn more about us at 🌐 outhad.com – we can’t wait to see you there! #startup #AI #entrepreneurship #ecommerce #innovation

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AI isn't just about replacing humans—it's about empowering them. 💪 AssuranceIQ, an innovative insurance startup, is pioneering a groundbreaking approach to leveraging generative AI: 1. They're using Large Language Models (LLMs) to score customer conversations. 2. This AI-powered system structures unstructured data from interactions. 3. The goal? Enhance the performance of human sales and support teams. 4. It's not about AI vs. humans, but AI amplifying human capabilities. 5. This could revolutionize how we train and develop customer-facing teams. This use case showcases the true potential of AI in business: not as a replacement, but as a powerful tool to augment human skills and drive performance. What other innovative ways could we use AI to empower rather than replace human workers? #AIInnovation #CustomerExperience #FutureOfWork #BusinessAI #TechTrends Share your thoughts on AI augmentation in the comments below!

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Insightful look into bioplatform strategy, and what it takes to raise a Series A from my partner, Omri Amirav-Drory: https://lnkd.in/dFv7GbF6

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Med42-v2 Released: A Groundbreaking Suite of Clinical Large Language Models Built on Llama3 Architecture, Achieving Up to 94.5% Accuracy on Medical Benchmarks Researchers from M42 Abu Dhabi, UAE, have introduced the Med42-v2, a suite of clinical LLMs built on the advanced Llama3 architecture. Developed by the team at M42 in Abu Dhabi, these models are meticulously fine-tuned using specialized clinical datasets, making them particularly adept at handling medical queries. Unlike generic models, which are often preference-aligned to avoid answering clinical questions, Med42-v2 is specifically trained to engage with such queries, ensuring that it can provide relevant and accurate information to clinicians, patients, & other stakeholders in the healthcare sector. The development of Med42-v2 involved a two-stage training process designed to optimize the models for clinical use. The Llama3 models were fine-tuned in the first stage using a curated dataset that included medical and biomedical information, chain-of-thought reasoning, and conversational examples. This stage accounted for 26.5% of the final training dataset and enhanced the models’ ability to understand and generate responses relevant to clinical contexts. The second stage focused on preference alignment, ensuring the models’ outputs aligned with human expectations and ethical standards. This stage utilized datasets such as UltraFeedback and Snorkel-DPO, allowing the models to be iteratively refined to meet clinical requirements..... Read our full take on Med42-v2: https://lnkd.in/gcz8fg-X Paper: https://lnkd.in/gDtsJvst Model Cards: https://lnkd.in/ggKmkheg M42 Health Clément Christophe, PhD Praveenkumar Kanithi Tathagata Raha Shadab Khan

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We are just at the beginning of the AI led digital transformation! Lots more questions than we answers on adoption, evolution in Enterprise AI but that’s exactly what creates white spaces, opportunities for innovation. Let’s play!

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5 intriguing AI developments I learned about last week: 1: Komodo Health + LangChain It’s one thing to see AI Agents and Compound AI Systems being launched in Retail etc but seeing Komodo Health build an AI assistant that “leverages the power of NLP and GenAI to provide personalized and informative responses to healthcare queries” within a highly regulated industry is significant. Big shoutout to the rockstars over at LangChain including Harrison Chase + Jacob Lee. No surprise they're involved. Link: https://lnkd.in/gjPMcH2S 2: AbbVie Gen AI enabled Enterprise Product Incubator for Capabilities (EPIC) Same as #1. This is happening in a highly regulated industry… “What does it look like to scale Generative AI to the enterprise from a grass roots level?” “Seventy-plus of the power users and builders leveraging our AbbVie Intelligence platform capabilities met to dig into the new advances in our vendor agnostic, enterprise supported, GxP ready, secure LLM powered ILIAD platform. Congratulations to Jon Stevens and the rest of the Enterprise Product Incubator for Capabilities (EPIC) team for coordinating such a great event!” - Brian Martin Chief AI Product Owner, ACOS Senior Research Fellow at AbbVie Link: https://lnkd.in/gS2RC-Q5 3: Google's NotebookLM A quote like this most definitely gets my attention - “The best software ever created for leveraging AI in your creative work.” - Tiago Forte, author of “Building a Second Brain.” Link: https://notebooklm.google/ 4: Arcade Company “Arcade enables anyone to design, purchase, and sell custom, manufacturable products with a simple text or image prompt.” “Arcade brings together the power of generative AI with a global network of top artisans to turn user ideas into personalized, physical products in a quantity of one. Arcade aims to redefine commerce by offering unprecedented personal choice, expression, and meaning in product creation. Link: https://lnkd.in/gGud-jHD 5: “Every white collar job will have an AI co-pilot. Then an AI agent.” - Angela Strange, Andreessen Horowitz “Which roles might change most? James da Costa and I took a look at the Bureau of Labor statistics to inspire some ideas.” Link: https://lnkd.in/gMJ8VASz Preview of next week? Ethan Mollick comments below about LLM enabled ad models and the reactions are likely to make it... ;) “No one has figured out how you integrate advertising with LLM replies.” “This is sort of a big deal, given that where the sloshing pool of ad dollars flows determines almost everything about the digital spaces in which we operate.” Enjoy your Monday!

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Generative AI is spreading like wildfire. 💡 Nearly 40% of US adults have embraced it in just months - outpacing the adoption of PCs and the internet. This tech revolution is reshaping how we work and live. Are you ready? #GenerativeAI #TechAdoption #FutureOfWork #AIInnovation #DigitalTransformation What's your experience with generative AI? Share your thoughts below!

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To all the new or #expecting #parents, Ubenwa Health has developed a unique #AI-powered app designed for those who are still learning how to intuit their infant’s emotions. Through listening/studying to various different baby cries, #NanniAI is here to help you distinguish between their wants and needs, and which decisions is the most likely to soothing them in the meantime. Yes, it is named "Nanni," and yes it is AI powered — however it’s not intended to replace parents, it’s more of a #supplement to help support and encourage good #parenting skills. Nanni AI is the culmination of years of research and data collection in Nigeria, Montreal, Canada and Brazil, which was used to train an algorithm that sorts "thousands and thousands" of cries and tries to categorize your baby's needs accurately. The developer mentioned earlier, Ubenwa Health raised a $2.5 million pre seed financing round led by AI-focused funds. What do you think of this app? If you are a parent, would you consider using Nanni AI?

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Today I announced that Maelle Gavet, Techstars CEO, will be leaving the company at the end of the month for health reasons and that I have returned as CEO. Over the past three and a half years, we have accomplished a great deal under Maëlle’s leadership. The company has made 2,000+ startup investments. In 2023, 469 Techstars portfolio companies raised a total of over $2.4B, with 322 of them raising rounds of $1M or more. Applications to our programs doubled between 2022 and 2023 while our quality filter has remained as high as ever – an average of just 3% of those applicants were accepted onto our programs. We continue to rate highly with entrepreneurs in our programs, who in 2023 scored Techstars a nine out of 10 for providing business value. All of that while the diversity of our founders rose to 25% female founders and 36% black and brown founders (in 2023).    I want to thank Maëlle for pouring her passion, blood, sweat and tears into Techstars. I feel fortunate to have worked so closely with her. She built a great team, made many tough decisions, and bravely enacted complex changes that were sorely needed. But now Maëlle must focus on her health. I know I speak for everyone at Techstars when I say that we wish her strength and courage as she addresses what's ahead. https://lnkd.in/gNxHZsAk While I am excited to be back as CEO of Techstars, I was never far away. I was the first employee and have been an employee here continuously since then. I was the first Managing Director of our first and at the time, only, accelerator (Boulder) in the early years. In total, I have served as CEO or co-CEO for thirteen of the seventeen years that Techstars has existed and have been on the Board since the company’s inception. Reach out if you have any questions, but in the meantime, I will continue to focus on making Techstars even better for founders!

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Groq Partners with Aramco to Propel Saudi AI Ambitions In a groundbreaking move, Groq, the innovative chip startup renowned for its cutting-edge technology, has inked a significant deal with aramco, the world’s leading oil company. This strategic partnership is set to be a game-changer for Saudi Arabia's burgeoning AI landscape. What This Means: Groq’s advanced chip technology will play a crucial role in supporting Saudi Arabia's ambitious plans to position itself as a global leader in artificial intelligence. The collaboration is expected to significantly enhance the computational power available for AI applications, paving the way for breakthroughs in various sectors including energy, healthcare, and smart cities. Key Highlights: Boosting AI Capabilities: Groq’s state-of-the-art chips are designed to handle complex AI tasks with unprecedented speed and efficiency, aligning perfectly with Saudi Arabia's AI objectives. Strategic Alignment: This partnership reflects a broader trend of technological alliances aimed at fostering innovation and economic diversification in the region. Future Impact: By leveraging Groq’s technology, aramco and Saudi Arabia are positioning themselves at the forefront of the AI revolution, potentially setting new standards in the industry. As the tech world watches closely, this deal underscores the growing intersection of AI and semiconductor technology, and how strategic collaborations are shaping the future of these industries. For more information: Bloomberg https://lnkd.in/dr89qeCV #AI #ChipTechnology #Innovation #TechPartnerships #Groq #Aramco #SaudiArabia #FutureOfAI #TechNews

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Is AI's future locked into trillion-dollar investments, or is there a more democratic path forward? I recently spoke with Eugene Cheah, founder of Recursal AI and co-lead on the open-source RWKV project, who's working to democratize AI by tackling some of the core constraints of transformers. Listen in on our full conversation here: https://lnkd.in/gKrrVRjp

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Had a great time on Sasha Bernier webinar for family offices, hosted by Hestia Holdings LLC. We covered some interesting topics including the power of multimodal models and how SaaS margins differ from ML AI margins. Plus, we discussed where the moat is with AI. Thanks to Sasha and Hestia Holdings LLC for having me! #AI #SaaS #ML #multimodalmodels #webinar #familyoffices

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AI is developing the ability to program cells thanks to the creation of a machine to biology interface. Today's 5 Year Frontier episode paints a future where controlling the building blocks of life are within reach and AI led-scientific discovery already a reality. Thank you Deniz Kent, PhD and Prolific Machines for quite literally shinning the light on the future of biotech. A must listen to grasp the future ahead! 5YF#26: Machines Controlling Biology, Light Reprogramming Cells, Algorithms for Drug Development, Commoditizing Pharma, and the Future of Biotech. Podcast link in comments below 👇

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Congratulations to the Gentrace team on their Series A! I have now worked with Doug Safreno, Vivek Nair and Daniel C. Liem for a while through our pre-seed investment at K9 Ventures and they're an amazing team. Also excited to partner with Jett Fein at Headline and Kojo Osei at Matrix! With each new technology shift comes the need for new tools to build with that technology. We saw this with the Internet, with mobile, and now we're seeing it with AI. If you're using #AI and #LLMs at any level of scale you need tooling to be able to evaluate the performance and cost across different language models. Gentrace has built incredible tools to help large companies manage, evaluate, and improve their AI usage. If you're using AI models without this, you're operating in the dark 🕳️. Let gentrace turn the lights on for you!💡🚀

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Spotting future unicorns isn’t magic → it’s about seeing potential in people Meeting over 500 founders each year, I’ve learned to recognize those who stand out Here are four founders from the last 60 days 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗜 𝗰𝗮𝗻'𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁: Syed Gilani, CEO at Safr Care: Syed’s venture is revolutionizing healthcare transportation with innovative tech. • Exceptional problem-solution fit • Robust go-to-market strategy • Engaging pitch, felt like a conversation • Bold humility Jim Petzel, CEO at CEND: Jim is transforming the moving industry with a fast-growing SaaS platform. • Fast-growing and profitable • Consistently doubling revenue • Strong, confident team • Brings the receipts Julee Dilley, Founder of PRAYR app: Julee’s app fills a unique niche in the Christian community with a brilliant model. • Powerful mission and belief • Genius business model • Quite the fundraiser • Backed by the right VCs Kevin Jurovich, Co-Founder at Circles: Kevin, an ex-NFL player, is building a unique app that combines the best of TikTok and Yelp, offering real-time video insights into bars and restaurants. • Brilliant app • Instant acquisition target (big exit) • Impressive pitch and cap table care • Kevin inspires and motivates other founders Most of the 38,000 founders who come to our site each month aren’t a fit for our venture studio or startup incubator, none of these fit our model, 𝘆𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲. 100%, the market says YES to these four amazing founders and their unforgettable startups. Founders, keep pushing forward; your “yes” is out there. Need help, reach out. Like this? Follow Gerald Duran for daily Startup and VC advice, and sometimes — a kick in the nuts. #startups #founders #venturecapital #entrepreneurship

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The Open Medical LLM Leaderboard on Hugging Face dropped last Friday (thanks Geoff Kwitko for the heads up), and it aims to track, rank and evaluate the performance of large language models (LLMs) on medical question answering tasks (see link below). It evaluates LLMs across a diverse array of medical datasets, including MedQA (USMLE), PubMedQA, MedMCQA, and subsets of MMLU related to medicine and biology. The leaderboard offers a comprehensive assessment of each model's medical knowledge and question answering capabilities. The datasets cover various aspects of medicine such as general medical knowledge, clinical knowledge, anatomy, genetics, and more. They contain multiple-choice and open-ended questions that require medical reasoning and understanding. More details on the datasets can be found in the "LLM Benchmarks Details" section in the link. Ps. Good to know that the GPT-4 model is leading the way (it is what I use on the Medical Coding and Documentation agent). Digital Human Assistants #llmhealthcare

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