Laurene Powell Jobs is betting on these 11 AI startups
Laurene Powell Jobs’ Emerson Collective Invests Heavily in AI Startups #
The Emerson Collective, a prominent family office, investment company, and philanthropy, has been making significant investments in artificial intelligence (AI) startups since 2022. The organization has invested in at least 11 AI-related startups during this period, participating in funding rounds totaling more than $1 billion.
These AI investments span various sectors and geographical locations, including:
- A New York-based AI medical company
- A San Jose, California-based image analyzer
- A French developer of large language models
- A Norwegian creator of AI presentations used by teachers
While the exact dollar amounts of Emerson’s AI investments are not disclosed, the collective’s involvement in the AI sector is substantial.
The Emerson Collective’s primary focus areas are education, the environment, and health care. Out of over 130 total investments made by the organization, more than half are in technology. Other sectors include health care and life sciences, energy, agriculture, education, human services, and media.
Recently, news emerged about the Emerson Collective’s involvement as a founding investor in a new venture aimed at creating an AI ‘computing device’. This project involves collaboration with a former prominent tech company designer and a leading AI company CEO.
The interest in AI investments is not unique to the Emerson Collective. A recent report indicates that 78% of family offices surveyed plan to invest in AI in the next two to three years, making it the most popular investment theme for family offices in 2024.
The Emerson Collective’s AI investments began even before the recent surge in AI popularity. Some of their notable investments include:
- An $80 million C-round investment in a health tech company connecting operating rooms (June 2022)
- A $14 million Series A round for a company providing physicians with clinical data (August 2022)
- A $4.6 million seed round for a Norwegian company helping teachers create interactive lessons
- A $415 million Series A round for a French maker of large language models
More recent investments include a $372 million round for an AI pharma company and a $33 million follow-on round for a clinical data provider.
This pattern of investments underscores the Emerson Collective’s growing interest and confidence in the potential of AI across various sectors, particularly in areas aligned with their core focus on education, health care, and technology.