June 23, 2025:
Databricks Co-founder Launches $100M AI Fund - Andy Konwinski, co-founder of Databricks and Perplexity, pledged $100 million to establish the Laude Institute, which focuses on AI research. The institute provides grants for innovative projects and supports both early-stage and long-term research through its Slingshots and Moonshots approach. Its first major grant funds the AI Systems Lab at UC Berkeley.
Additionally, Laude operates a venture fund that invests in AI startups. The initiative aims to promote independent AI advancements and navigate the intersection of nonprofit and commercial interests.
