AI startup firm partners with 1819 to accelerate technology

From calculating math equations to writing news stories, AI has already revolutionized the ways in which businesses function.

However, since generative pretrained transformers (GPTs) are relatively new technologies, it’s hard to determine how far these capabilities have come. That’s where Innovation Acceleration, a tech startup partner of the University of Cincinnati’s 1819 Innovation Hub, fits into the picture.

Innovation Acceleration trains and consults companies like Fifth Third Bank, Western & Southern Financial Group and Kao Corporation while building out software as a service (SaaS) tools. Its coworking space in UC’s 1819 Innovation Hub is pivotal in this effort as partner corporations maintain their own offices just down the hall.

“The 1819 Innovation Hub provides a unique environment that nurtures a culture of innovation, collaboration and entrepreneurship,” Sias said. “It offers invaluable resources and support for startups and established companies alike.”

As the assistant vice president of UC’s Office of Innovation, Kate Harmon is excited to see dynamic startups coworking in 1819.

“Our vision for the 1819 Innovation Hub is to continuously grow our ecosystem to support businesses in their forward-thinking endeavors,” she said. “Being part of this hub means engaging in a community rich with opportunities for creative collaboration and networking.”

Innovation Acceleration states on its website that generative AI models “have the ability to assume any role, in any discipline, in any industry to extend the limits of human creativity and innovation, guided by human judgment and empathy.” In other words, AI can complement human work while greatly increasing efficiency — if it’s used in a responsible manner.

There are four key components of generative AI that Innovation Acceleration focuses on: large language models, retrieval augmented generation, image generation and multimodal language models. Below, we’ll run through what each function performs:

Merging SIT with generative AI can dramatically speed up business processes, freeing employees to focus on complicated tasks. Whether increasing efficiency at large corporations or streamlining work at startups, Sias and his partners Sargent and Boyd see generative AI as playing a positive role in business development.

“Generative AI is a powerful resource on its own, but when combined with SIT, the potential to develop more and better ideas is nearly limitless,” Sargent said. “The 1819 Innovation Hub has turbocharged Innovation Acceleration’s development through collaboration with corporate partners, other startups and access to top talent from across UC.”

Innovation Acceleration’s offerings are in high demand, but its success hinges on market awareness. That’s why Sias’ strategic decision to base his startup in the coworking space at the 1819 Innovation Hub was so effective.

“Our partnership with the 1819 Innovation Hub is multifaceted,” Sias said. “We utilize the Hub’s resources for research and development, engage in collaborative projects with other startups and established companies within the Hub and participate in networking events and workshops that foster a vibrant innovation ecosystem.”

Sias is excited to be coworking next to both leading corporations and many of Cincinnati’s most promising startups. He feels an energy inside the 1819 Innovation Hub that’s tough to replicate in a separate office or at home. And for that, he’s deeply grateful.

“The 1819 Innovation Hub has been instrumental in our success by providing access to cutting-edge resources, fostering a collaborative environment and facilitating connections with industry experts and potential partners,” Sias said.. “The Hub’s support has enabled us to accelerate our development and bring innovative solutions to market more quickly.”

Featured image at top: Innovation Acceleration partners Matthew Sias, Drew Boyd and RJ Sargent. Photo/Innovation Acceleration