Focoos AI reports that it has closed a €2.65m seed investment round. The start-up is a spin-off of the Politecnico di Torino, incubated by I3P and part of the ESA BIC Turin programme. It receives capital from Galaxia, CDP Venture Capital’s national technology transfer hub dedicated to aerospace, which participates with a follow-on from the previous pre-seed investment, as well as from PiemonteNext, the fund set up and managed by CDP Venture Capital and subscribed by the regional finance company Finpiemonte to maximise investments in innovation for the region, and from VC Partners, Vertis, Vento and Exor Ventures.
Focoos AI has developed a web platform that gives access to highly efficient computer vision models with low computational power, i.e. low energy consumption, enabling the development and integration of AI solutions in a fast and optimised manner.
These models are designed to be easily adapted to the specific needs of companies, which can customise them themselves for computer vision applications in areas such as smart cities, industrial production and satellite image analysis.
Models created with Focoos’ proprietary AI technology are up to four times more efficient and ten times faster than market standards. This not only reduces costs on the cloud, but also makes it possible to run AI applications directly on edge devices such as cameras and drones.
The EUR 2.65 million investment will go towards the integration of new functionalities on the platform by improving model customisation and performance monitoring capabilities; training of efficient foundational models ready for immediate use in various industries; market launch and international growth through the creation of strategic partnerships and access to new vertical markets; and expansion of the research and development team and commercial division.
Fabio Cermelli, CTO and co-founder of Focoos AI, (pictured with the team) says in a note: ‘Today, technology optimisation is no longer a luxury, but a necessity. Our web platform, already in beta for the first users, will soon be accessible to everyone and will bring a new standard of high performance with minimal consumption. Behind this technology is tireless work and an extraordinary team that has never stopped. This investment allows us to accelerate even more, giving further momentum to our vision.”
Antonio Tavera, CEO and co-founder of Focoos AI adds: ‘This investment round is not a point of arrival, but a new beginning for Focoos AI. The trust of our investors is concrete proof of the solidity of our vision and the path we have taken. We want to change the rules of the game: make artificial intelligence accessible to all, removing technological and economic barriers. AI must be designed to bring maximum benefit to humanity, with a balance between innovation and sustainability. And we at Focoos AI are more determined than ever to lead this change’.
Claudia Pingue, senior partner and head of CDP Venture Capital’s Technology Transfer Fund, says: ‘We are delighted to renew our support for Focoos AI, a company that is redefining the application paradigm of computer vision. His vision of affordable and efficient AI, capable of running on low-power devices, is a decisive step towards large-scale adoption of these technologies. This investment confirms our commitment to supporting deep tech solutions that can sustainably empower industries globally.”
Roberta Vercellotti, VCP’s founding partner, says: ‘We are excited to invest in Focoos AI and to collaborate with an outstanding team led by Antonio Tavera and Fabio Cermelli. Focoos AI’s frugal approach towards AI models for computer vision has a wide range of potential applications and use cases, and this investment round will allow the company to expand its reach to developers around the world looking for the best performing and most efficient models. I will join a board led by Barbara Caputo, co-founder of Focoos AI, Professor at the Polytechnic University of Turin and renowned expert in the field of applied computer vision, and will work with the entire team to help them realise their vision of becoming a leading provider of frugal neural networks.
Alessandro Papoff, investment manager at Vertis, adds: ‘In Focoos AI we have found an ideal solution to democratise artificial intelligence, making computer vision accessible to any industry and device. This technology cuts development and operational costs, ensuring a perfect balance between efficiency and accuracy of neural networks. We are thrilled to join Antonio and Fabio, two extraordinary talents with a clear vision and very strong motivation, in their journey towards the challenges ahead”.
Mario Alparone, Director of Finpiemonte: ‘The use of AI algorithms goes hand in hand with the increasing digitisation process underway. With this new round of Focoos AI, in which we are among the investors with the PiemonteNext fund, we want to continue to support the challenge of this startup and its team, aware of its potential in the field of Artificial Intelligence and its added value in the areas of technological innovation and energy efficiency.”
“The innovation proposed by Focoos AI has broad potential applications in different industrial fields,’ comments Giuseppe Scellato, president of I3P and coordinator of ESA BIC Turin. ‘Winning the National Innovation Award 2023 was an initial confirmation of the value of Focoos AI’s proprietary technology, the same technology that today, further developed and enhanced, has led a pool of leading investors to concretely demonstrate their confidence in the project’s future. We are proud of this achievement and of being able to support the company’s international growth path’.
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