Have an thought for an AI startup? OpenAI desires to provide you $1 million

ChatGPT-maker OpenAI is opening the door to potential startup founders — even these with none prior AI expertise or who don’t even use OpenAI services and products — to use to obtain a $1 million funding increase and unique informational and academic assets from its Startup Fund, in alternate for taking part in a most six-hour-per-week, six-week-long program.

Final night time, OpenAI co-founder and CEO Sam Altman and CTO/former interim CEO Mira Murati posted a hyperlink on the social platform X to an OpenAI weblog submit asserting the launch of “Converge 2.”

This system, the second iteration of its sort from the OpenAI Startup Fund following an inaugural session of Converge that launched a yr in the past in December 2022, invitations potential AI founder candidates from around the globe to use with solely a minimal quantity of details about themselves and their thought on OpenAI’s web site to obtain funding, in addition to teaching and experience to information the formation and development of their firms.

After the applying window closes, OpenAI’s Startup Fund will in the end select between 10 and 15 completely different firms to fund, every to the tune of $1 million. Whereas that isn’t that vital in a time when most startups announce seed rounds within the multi-millions, it’s after all massively useful to these within the pre-seed and earliest part of their ideation and firm constructing journeys.

The way to apply

Even if you happen to haven’t written a line of code or raised a single greenback and your thought continues to be largely in your head, OpenAI desires to listen to from you, in keeping with its naked bones on-line utility kind.

Candidates simply want to offer their identify, a one-line description of their firm, hyperlinks to social profiles of founder candidates, and a hyperlink to a 30-second lengthy video pitching the concept.

Importantly, OpenAI additionally shouldn’t be mandating that candidates use, nor decide to utilizing, OpenAI’s utility programming interfaces (APIs) for its hit merchandise GPT-3.5/4, ChatGPT Plus/Enterprise, Codex, DALL-E,

In truth, on the Converge 2 announcement webpage, OpenAI particularly addresses this query as a part of an FAQ (continuously requested questions), asking “Does my present or future product must be constructed on prime of OpenAI’s APIs?” and answering, “No. This system is for anybody constructing (or aspiring to construct) on leading edge AI fashions.”

The applying window is open now by means of January 26, 2024. Merely fill out the shape on-line right here.

What Converge 2 presents potential startup founders

This system itself will run from March 11 to April 19, 2024. Whereas the dedication is ready at 4-6 hours per week, it may be carried out remotely, with solely the primary and final weeks of this system structured as in-person occasions in San Francisco, with journey prices lined by OpenAI.

The intermediate weeks supply flexibility for distant participation, though in-person attendance is extremely really helpful.

The six-week program is structured to supply a studying and growth expertise. Contributors will interact in tech talks, workplace hours, and social occasions. They’ll even have the chance to work together with main AI practitioners and startup founders, gaining insights into probably the most urgent alternatives and challenges of AI growth.

Considerably, prior expertise with AI methods shouldn’t be a prerequisite, opening this system to a broader vary of innovators.

This method aligns with OpenAI’s imaginative and prescient of selling variety within the AI subject, particularly encouraging founders from underrepresented backgrounds and people based mostly outdoors the US.

Reflecting a dedication to variety and inclusivity, Converge 2 encourages functions from founders of all backgrounds.