Startup Grind Princeton Holds AI MAX Conference, Attracting Hundreds
So much was happening at the Startup Grind Princeton AI MAX Conference in April that it was hard take it all in.
The day-long event, which took place in Montgomery, near Princeton, included startup presentations, panel discussions, an AI workshop and networking opportunities, as well as a showcase highlighting sponsors and startups.
The conference started with three rounds of pitches by 15 startups to panels of investors and startup experts. In the afternoon, speakers on the main stage discussed AI fundamentals and strategies for leveraging AI to drive early-stage success.
Also, a popular generative AI “prompt engineering” workshop led by Mukesh Patel, a Rutgers entrepreneurship professor, attracted an enthusiastic crowd. Patel is a serial entrepreneur and executive board adviser, with experience in private equity, venture capital, and angel investments. Prompt engineering is a foundational skill crucial in the AI world.
Several of the startups participating were familiar to NJTechWeekly.com, including ByeByeCry (Warrington, Pa.) and Lambent Data (Princeton), which we covered here. Also presenting were Interflexion (Hillborough), which we covered here; SciMar ONE (Allentown), covered here; and Yoda Tech (Princeton), covered here.
Some of the other startups, all of which were incorporating AI or machine learning, included:
MOI (Lewes, Del.): Offers the world’s first context-aware massively parallel blockchain.
Delphine Diagnostics (Newark): Developed an assay that diagnoses sepsis.
The Leo Project 2050 (Princeton): Committed to transforming human resources into a pivotal component of organizational strategy.
FlowShare (Hamburg, Germany): Creates detailed step-by-step guides as you perform your tasks.
Public Assembly (Philadelphia, Pa.): Lays the ground work for organizations focused on social impact.
Sentauri (San Francisco): An AI startup that delivers rationalizable predictions through simulation-based machine learning to accelerate preclinical drug discovery.
Ghostdog Systems (New York): Pioneering the next frontier of cybersecurity with cutting-edge applied AI.
InPerson+ (New York): Empowering first-generation students and professionals with the tools, community and guidance they need to thrive.
Spring (Frisco, Texas): Seeking to empower creators and brands with intuitive cutting-edge solutions.
Mareana (Princeton): AI-driven insights to enhance compliance in manufacturing, supply chains and sustainability.
Tangra at the AI MAX conference | Esther Surden
Tangra (Robbinsville): Immersive virtual events.
MGNX (Camp Springs Md.): The next generation of active wear.
UltronAI (Princeton): Accurate high-speed product identification powered by AI.
Providing feedback to the startups were: Alastair Binnie, executive director of the PRISME Forum (St. Louis, Mo.); Mark DeGuzman, manager of new ventures at Rutgers University, Office for Research (Piscataway); Simon Hopkins, board member of the New York Angels (New York); Frances Keel, program officer at the New Jersey Commission on Science, Innovation and Technology (Trenton); Sharyn Konyak, cofounder and chief marketing officer of Boomerang Aero Ventures; Denis Shovkoplyas, COO of Silicon Valley Bank (Menlo Park, Calif.); and Joe Watson, author of “Without Excuses” and a strategic adviser, executive coach and professor.
“New Jersey boasts the most educated, technically skilled population in the country,” said David Stengle, founder and director of Startup Grind Princeton. “This conference provides a unique opportunity for individuals from startups, industry, government, venture capital, academia and other AI-forward sectors to come together and share insights on the cutting edge of AI. We’re thrilled with the turnout, and plan to hold more conferences.”
Stengle added that Startup Grind Princeton is working with state initiatives to promote AI development and foster a robust ecosystem. The event’s emphasis on community building, inclusivity and collaboration created a fertile ground for networking and idea exchange, paving the way for future partnerships and advancements, he said.
The conference concluded with a quote from Stengle: “You won’t lose your job to AI; you’ll lose it to someone using AI.” This resonated with attendees, highlighting the urgent need to embrace AI in today’s rapidly evolving landscape. Stengle added, “We’re here to help anyone and everyone who wants to lean into AI to have a path forward.” Looking ahead, Startup Grind Princeton plans to maintain the momentum by organizing a steady stream of AI meetups in collaboration with multiple local tech groups.
