Partnering with Stack (YC W23)
On Monday, Stack announced its participation in Y Combinator’s Winter 2023 cohort. As one of Epakon’s most promising portfolio companies, we’re thrilled to communicate this news to the public, particularly on the heels of our one-year anniversary as the first investor in the firm. Additional backers include SOMA Capital and other high-profile angels.
Stack AI is building software to fine-tune Large Language Models (i.e. GPT3) to any application through automated data labeling and detection of data anomalies. Stack’s team of MIT PhDs draws from 10+ years of experience at Meta, SpaceX, GoPro, and NASA JPL, and is committed to building a tool that gives superpowers to Machine Learning (ML) teams.
Companies like Hatch, Actuate, MIT Medical, and Yummy utilize Stack’s software to streamline AI fine-tuning process. The company’s core solution saves thousands of hours for engineering teams, helping them build a competitive advantage with AI.
Bernardo Aceituno, Stack’s CEO believes “current generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT empower consumers to be bolder, increase capacity, and augment productivity. However, these models need to include human input and prompt writing, and Stack is well-positioned to be the one-stop shop solution for Machine Learning teams to streamline processes and operations.”
Epakon’s Note:
We believed in Bernardo, Tony, and Melissa from the very beginning in v1 of their product-market fit journey. With a fail-fast mentality, the team iterated constantly on what the right problem to solve was. They used their team’s expertise to tackle pain points that they were able to quickly get access to, ranging from machine vision for warehouses to innovative financial products.
A pivotal moment in our investment decision (the “aha” moment), stems from a coffee chat I had with Bernardo about the founder's journey. We quickly realized how fast, scrappy, and efficient the team operated and we wanted to make sure we were a part of that journey. Moreover, the team’s combined experience and applied efforts in technical fields like robotics and machine learning coupled with their expertise in operations made them an attractive team to back.
In the past year, our thesis has been proven correct. Stack’s continuous iterations and product-focused vision delivered what we know as Stack.Ai today. An innovative platform for Machine Learning teams to develop, perfect, and streamline AI models. We’re proud of how far the team has come. Stack is without a doubt one of the most exciting companies in our portfolio.
Congratulations to Bernardo, Tony, and Melissa! The best is yet to come. We’re thrilled to partner with you as you seek to make AI the best it can be for human capabilities augmentation.
