This document summarizes the responses from 29 AI startup founders on the sentiment they have seen from investors regarding AI startups. The responses fell into three categories: positive, neutral, and negative. Founders reported that some investors are excited about AI's potential to increase productivity and see momentum building in the field. However, others are more cautious due to hype from companies making exaggerated claims and a lack of proven results. Some European investors are also hesitant to fund startups developing both AI and hardware technologies.

1. TECHEMERGENCE CONSENSUS:
AI INVESTOR SENTIMENT
Insight from 29 Artificial Intelligence Startup Founders
The data from this consensus was collected in June of 2016

2. In this TechEmergence Consensus, we contacted a
total of 29 artificial intelligence startup
founders and executives and asked them about
what kind of sentiment they have seen from
investors when evaluating AI startups.

3. This slide deck displays the major trends of
responses as well as some of the most poignant
quotes from the recognized experts we spoke with.

4. Access to the complete data set and all quotes
and answers from all the researchers that we
connected with for our “AI Investor Trends
Consensus” as well as our “AI Consumer Tech
Predictions” and “Most Common AI Miscon-
ceptions in Business” for free download as a
spreadsheet or Google Sheet in the link below:
>> CLICK HERE

5. © TechEmergence Consensus June 2016
What Kind of Sentiment Have You Seen from Investors When
Looking at Your AI Startup?

6. We’ve selected three quotes from each of the
major response categories. Beneath each quote
is a link (if available) of our complete interview
with this guest on the TechEmergence Podcast.
* These consensus answers were recorded seperately from our podcasts interviews, but most podcasts are focused on
related topics around the ethical implications of emerging technologies.

7. POSITIVE
The future is here and all the big players in the Valley are
investing heavily.
- Dr. Ben Waber
CEO, Humanyze/Sociometric Solutions
>> CLICK HERE
Listen to or read our full interview with Dr. Ben Waber at techemergence.com:

8. POSITIVE
Investors understand that AI will help remove the routine
aspects of many tasks, and so they are excited about AI helping
humans be more productive.
- Bernat Fages
Co-Founder, Assist AI

9. POSITIVE
AI is attracting positive attention recently in the investors
community. In that respect, investors see AI applications as
gaining momentum and therefore reinforcing eachother.
- Dr. Eyal Amir
Founder, ParkNav
>> CLICK HERE
Listen to or read our full interview with Dr. Eyal Amirat techemergence.com:

10. NEUTRAL
Investors are excited by, but rightfully cautious about the claims
made by AI startups. This is a new and emerging technology,
and crossing the chasm from a gimmick to something that
consistently delivers real value requires a strong plan and
disciplined execution.
- James Gupta
Founder, Synap

11. NEUTRAL
Most investors see this to be a very exciting area, however the
hype and the pace of announcements by companies large and
small tend to temper the mood towards caution.
- Mohamed Sayed
Founder, Huero Labs GmbH

12. NEUTRAL
Interested but afraid of the regulations landscape. I have a very
capital intensive B2B project, so they are looking most and for
all an intimate relationship with a problem need of large value.
Traction is valued more than technology.
- Davide Venturelli
Founder, Archon Technologies

13. NEGATIVE
The proliferations of AI has meant that most tech startups false
claim to use AI. This has caused most investors (seed, VC and
Funds) to be cautiously excited about AI startups. The core
ability to address an underlying need is still the biggest driver
for investment.
- Ankur Modi
Founder, StatusToday

14. NEGATIVE
Most investors and customers I speak to are a mix of jaded
and optimistic. While people recognize the potential, years of
AI snake-oil salesmen have really hampered people’s ability to
trust these algorithms.
- Slater Victoroff
CEO, Indico
>> CLICK HERE
Listen to or read our full interview with Slater Victoroff at techemergence.com:

15. NEGATIVE
In Europe it seems that investors are not so eager to invest in
companies that also create hardware. Our focus is on the A.I.
and robot brain technologies, but since the robot platform
that we require does not exist we have to create and produce
a robot also.
- Tijn van der Zant
Founder, Robolect

16. If you’ve enjoyed this presentation and you’d like
to see the full set of 29 AI startup founder
responses from our “AI Investor Trends
Consensus” as well as our “AI Consumer Tech
Predictions” and “Most Common AI
Misconceptions in Business”, the entire dataset is
made freely availble in a simple spreadsheet ac-
cessible via the form below:
>> CLICK HERE

17. Thanks for viewing our presentation. If you’d like
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research trends and insights in the field of
artificial intelligence, be sure to stay connected on
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