Innovators and investors converged at the annual Silicon Valley Funding Summit on Monday, January 6, at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Hosted by ENRICHERS in collaboration with Angel Launch, the Silicon Valley Funding Summit showcased breakthrough technologies from 35 emerging companies working to redefine efficiency, sustainability, and accessibility in ways that transform industries and our day-to-day lives.
Silicon Valley Funding Summit
Silicon Valley Funding Summit served as a platform for U.S. and European startups across industries — from artificial intelligence and quantum computing to cleantech and medtech — to share their solutions with nearly 40 established investors. Their presentations reflected broader industry trends and underscored a collective drive toward practical, impactful technology that addresses global issues.
AI
As one might expect, artificial intelligence was a key topic of discussion. Attendees heard from several companies with AI-driven innovations designed to optimize workflows, streamline operations, reduce costs and enable informed decision-making. Among them was Multiverse Computing, which earned the top prize in the Silicon Valley Funding Summit’s pitch competition.
The company, founded in 2019 by Samuel Mugel, Román Orús, Enrique Lizaso Olmos, and Alfonso Rubio, is headquartered in San Sebastián, Spain. Multiverse Computing aims to lower the cost of training large language models (LLMs) as well as advance sustainability efforts by addressing complex challenges such as electrical distribution and hydrogen production. To do so, it provides cutting-edge algorithms and quantum computing-inspired solutions capable of tackling real-world problems across various sectors, including energy, healthcare, finance, manufacturing, logistics, aerospace, and chemistry.
While Multiverse Computing leverages artificial intelligence to solve computational problems, second-place finisher at Silicon Valley Funding Summit, .lumen, founded by Cornel Amariei, has harnessed the technology into a wearable device that provides greater independence to those with visual impairments, with additional applications planned for the future. The Romanian company’s Glasses combines the latest autonomous driving technology with advanced robotics to help individuals navigate the world with more freedom and confidence.
Medtech
Another medtech standout, Picterus, demonstrated a tool that uses AI, a smartphone camera, and a physical calibration card to streamline the diagnosis of neonatal jaundice, which kills approximately 114,000 infants annually. Dubbed the Picterus Jaundice Pro, the solution is cost-effective, reliable, and easily deployable, enabling doctors to diagnose jaundice in seconds, even outside a clinical setting. This is particularly valuable for healthcare systems that have few resources and limited access to diagnostic technology. Jaundice Pro was developed by Dr. Aune, along with software engineer Gunnar Vartdal and Lise Lyngsnes Randeberg, a physicist and professor specializing in biomedical optics.
Additionally, Checkpoint Care emphasized the power of AI in improving patient outcomes, presenting its continuous monitoring system. The wearable device uses medical-grade sensors to provide 24/7 surveillance of over 100 critical physiological parameters, using artificial intelligence to detect subtle trends and deviations that may be indicative of clinical deterioration. The information is reviewed by trained clinicians and significant findings are escalated to the patient’s care team.
Cleantech
Cleantech solutions also performed well, with Sustainable H2O Technologies and ZNL Energy ranking among the top five companies. The former offers a cost-effective, sustainable water treatment and desalination technology that harnesses the inherent energy in water (or liquid feedstock) to generate heat and produce clean steam, while ZNL Energy specializes in the development of lithium-ion and sodium batteries. The company hopes that providing alternatives to current stationary energy storage will drive innovation in the industry and minimize its environmental impact.
Other notable cleantech participants included Qarnot Computing, OZ-SEPA, and Clean Air Italia. Headquartered in Montrouge, France, Qarnot Computing combines high-performance computing with sustainable heating. The company uses heat generated by servers to warm buildings, enhancing energy efficiency and reducing carbon. OZ-SEPA, a South Korean company, has developed the world’s first oil-water separation filter using nanostructure materials. It removes 99% of oil from water without the need for secondary filtration, making it a low-cost solution for oil spills. Clean Air Italia, on the other hand, specializes in the development and commercialization of air pollution abatement systems. Their filterless, water-based technology effectively reduces up to 99% of ambient air pollutants.
ENRICHERS honorable mention
Also earning recognition at the Silicon Valley Funding Summit was Hollo.AI, a California-based startup that is enabling individuals and businesses to create and manage their own AI digital twins. By uploading a photo and a short audio clip, users can generate a virtual representation that mirrors their appearance and mimics their voice. This digital twin can engage in real-time conversations, handle calls and messages, and interact with followers through a personalized chatbot. Recognizing widespread concerns regarding deepfakes, the company employs blockchain verification to prevent unauthorized use and fraud.
Beyond forging connections between startups and investors, the Silicon Valley Funding Summit underscored the importance of transatlantic collaboration. With a focus on research, innovation, business development, and funding, ENRICHERS plays a crucial role in bridging the gap between Europe and the United States. The Silicon Valley Funding Summit’s top finishers will receive specialized support from the ENRICHERS program, which provides startups with access to university partnerships, funding opportunities, and commercialization services, enabling them to thrive in new markets.
You can learn more about ENRICHERS by visiting their website.
