Latest news with #SarahNagy
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
IBM Acquires AI Startup Seek And Launches $500M-Backed Watsonx AI Labs In NYC To Tackle Data Innovation With Agentic Intelligence
IBM (NYSE:IBM) announced Monday that it acquired Seek AI, a New York City-based artificial intelligence startup specializing in natural language data querying, as part of a larger push into agentic AI development. The acquisition coincides with the launch of Watsonx AI Labs. According to IBM, Seek AI's software will become a foundational part of the lab's technological framework. Founded in 2021 by former data scientist Sarah Nagy, Seek AI builds tools that allow users to interact with complex datasets using natural language prompts, automatically converting them into structured query language queries and generating insights, TechCrunch reports. Don't Miss: Maker of the $60,000 foldable home has 3 factory buildings, 600+ houses built, and big plans to solve housing — Invest where it hurts — and help millions heal:. IBM said in the statement that Seek AI's natural language platform will be integrated into its AI development ecosystem, enabling startups and partners to build applications with conversational data capabilities. The newly launched Watsonx AI Labs is located in Manhattan's Flatiron District at One Madison, where IBM says it plans to build and test next-generation AI systems with engineers, researchers, and startups. According to IBM, the lab will co-create enterprise-ready AI applications spanning cybersecurity, customer service, and open-source frameworks. The facility will also focus on domain-specific AI solutions and prioritize responsible governance, a rising concern among enterprise adopters. New York City's growing role in AI development factored heavily into IBM's decision to base the lab there. According to Tech: NYC, the city hosts over 2,000 AI startups and experienced a 25% increase in AI workforce growth from 2022 to 2023. Since 2019, AI startups in NYC have collectively raised $27 billion in funding. IBM mentioned in the statement that it also plans to collaborate with local universities and research institutions to nurture future talent and expand its innovation footprint. Trending: Wall Street's Missing This AI Surgical Tech — You Don't Have To. Seek AI had previously secured nearly $10 million in backing from investors such as Battery Ventures, Conviction Partners, and NJP Ventures, according to TechCrunch. Once the acquisition is finalized, IBM says the startup will relocate its operations to One Madison, aligning itself physically and strategically with IBM's flagship Manhattan-based Watsonx AI Labs. 'By anchoring this mission in New York City, we are investing in a diverse, world‑class talent pool and a vibrant community whose innovations have long shaped the tech landscape,' Ritika Gunnar, IBM's general manager of data and AI, said in the said that it will provide select startups inside the lab with mentorship, access to technical talent, and financial support through its $500 million Enterprise AI Venture Fund. These startups will be able to test, refine, and deploy AI applications built with tools like Seek AI's natural language platform. Companies successfully building enterprise-ready solutions may be eligible for long-term partnership and global amplification via IBM Ventures. Julie Samuels, president and CEO of Tech: NYC, said in IBM's statement that the move underscores New York's strength as an innovation hub and a magnet for enterprise AI development. She added that the initiative could be transformative for local communities and the broader tech economy. With Seek AI's technology now in-house and the Watsonx AI Labs underway, IBM appears committed to shaping the future of enterprise AI from the epicenter of one of the world's most dynamic cities. Read Next: Here's what Americans think you need to be considered wealthy. Image: Shutterstock Up Next: Transform your trading with Benzinga Edge's one-of-a-kind market trade ideas and tools. Click now to access unique insights that can set you ahead in today's competitive market. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? IBM (IBM): Free Stock Analysis Report This article IBM Acquires AI Startup Seek And Launches $500M-Backed Watsonx AI Labs In NYC To Tackle Data Innovation With Agentic Intelligence originally appeared on © 2025 Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
IBM acquires data analysis startup Seek AI, opens AI accelerator in NYC
IBM on Monday said that it has acquired Seek AI, an AI platform that allows users to ask questions about enterprise data using natural language, for an undisclosed sum. Seek CEO and founder Sarah Nagy said that the startup's technology will be a key part of Watsonx AI Labs, IBM's new NYC-based AI accelerator, which IBM also announced today. "[W]e'll scale our platform, deploy mission-critical solutions for IBM clients, empower the next generation of AI developers, and grow our team significantly," wrote Nagy in a LinkedIn post. IBM's acquisition of Seek comes as the former looks to grow its investments in AI, particularly AI for the enterprise. It's a strategy that's worked well for IBM so far. The tech giant's Q1 earnings beat estimates, driven by software growth and strong AI demand. NYC-based Seek, which Nagy founded in 2021, offers an array of tools designed to help businesses better leverage their data. The company's software allows users to interact with data using a chatbot-like interface, automatically translating natural language questions into database queries and performing high-level data analysis and summarization. Prior to its exit, Seek AI managed to raise around $10 million from investors including Battery Ventures, Conviction Partners, and NJP Ventures. The startup will move its headquarters to One Madison, the location of Watsonx AI Labs and IBM's new Manhattan offices, once the deal closes. "[W]atsonx AI Labs is where the best AI developers gain access to world-class engineers and resources and build new businesses and applications," IBM GM of Data and AI Ritika Gunnar said in a statement. "By anchoring this mission in New York City, we are investing in a diverse, world‑class talent pool and a vibrant community whose innovations have long shaped the tech landscape." In a press release, IBM said that Watsonx AI Labs will bring together IBM researchers and engineers in a "collaborative hub" to build AI solutions for companies. Watsonx AI Labs will also seek collaborations with local colleges and research institutions. Startups that successfully launch products at the accelerator will have access to IBM resources as well as potential investment from the company's corporate VC wing, IBM Ventures, and its $500 million enterprise AI fund. This article originally appeared on TechCrunch at
TechCrunch
02-06-2025
- Business
- TechCrunch
IBM acquires data analysis startup Seek AI, opens AI accelerator in NYC
IBM on Monday said that it has acquired Seek AI, an AI platform that allows users to ask questions about enterprise data using natural language, for an undisclosed sum. Seek CEO and founder Sarah Nagy said that the startup's technology will be a key part of Watsonx AI Labs, IBM's new NYC-based AI accelerator, which IBM also announced today. '[W]e'll scale our platform, deploy mission-critical solutions for IBM clients, empower the next generation of AI developers, and grow our team significantly,' wrote Nagy in a LinkedIn post. IBM's acquisition of Seek comes as the former looks to grow its investments in AI, particularly AI for the enterprise. It's a strategy that's worked well for IBM so far. The tech giant's Q1 earnings beat estimates, driven by software growth and strong AI demand. NYC-based Seek, which Nagy founded in 2021, offers an array of tools designed to help businesses better leverage their data. The company's software allows users to interact with data using a chatbot-like interface, automatically translating natural language questions into database queries and performing high-level data analysis and summarization. Prior to its exit, Seek AI managed to raise around $10 million from investors including Battery Ventures, Conviction Partners, and NJP Ventures. The startup will move its headquarters to One Madison, the location of Watsonx AI Labs and IBM's new Manhattan offices, once the deal closes. '[W]atsonx AI Labs is where the best AI developers gain access to world-class engineers and resources and build new businesses and applications,' IBM GM of Data and AI Ritika Gunnar said in a statement. 'By anchoring this mission in New York City, we are investing in a diverse, world‑class talent pool and a vibrant community whose innovations have long shaped the tech landscape.' Techcrunch event Save now through June 4 for TechCrunch Sessions: AI Save $300 on your ticket to TC Sessions: AI—and get 50% off a second. Hear from leaders at OpenAI, Anthropic, Khosla Ventures, and more during a full day of expert insights, hands-on workshops, and high-impact networking. These low-rate deals disappear when the doors open on June 5. Exhibit at TechCrunch Sessions: AI Secure your spot at TC Sessions: AI and show 1,200+ decision-makers what you've built — without the big spend. Available through May 9 or while tables last. Berkeley, CA | REGISTER NOW In a press release, IBM said that Watsonx AI Labs will bring together IBM researchers and engineers in a 'collaborative hub' to build AI solutions for companies. Watsonx AI Labs will also seek collaborations with local colleges and research institutions. Startups that successfully launch products at the accelerator will have access to IBM resources as well as potential investment from the company's corporate VC wing, IBM Ventures, and its $500 million enterprise AI fund.
Business Wire
27-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Seek AI Selected by Storelli to Strengthen Data-Driven Growth & Marketing Strategies
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Seek AI, the trusted AI agent platform for data, today announced that online retail brand Storelli has selected the Seek platform to strengthen its data-driven growth efforts and marketing strategies. 'Seek saves us hours of manual work by instantly surfacing the right product bundles based on our sales data. It gets us 80% of the way there and backs up our instincts with data,' said Tyler Stelter, COO at Storelli. Share Storelli is a growing online retailer that provides high performance soccer gear for athletes. Delivered via managed services, the Seek agentic AI platform that Storelli is implementing serves to streamline the store's product bundling and kit creation for their new website, generate data-driven product recommendations, and analyze historical sales to inform marketing strategies. 'Seek saves us hours of manual work by instantly surfacing the right product bundles based on our sales data. It gets us 80% of the way there and backs up our instincts with data,' said Tyler Stelter, COO at Storelli. 'It's becoming a core part of our workflow. We're excited to explore more use cases, especially as we connect more data sources.' 'Our team at Seek AI is proud to partner with Storelli. Together, we are bringing forward a more efficient and effective data analytics culture in the retail sector using the power of agentic AI for data,' said Sarah Nagy, CEO at Seek AI. What is Seek AI? Seek AI is an agentic AI-powered data platform for e-commerce, Shopify, CPG enterprise, and financial services organizations that enables customers better access to their data. Customers across SMB, midmarket and Fortune 500 enterprises rely on Seek to improve their data analytics with a powerful natural language interface for data to guide sales, marketing, promotional campaigns, product inventory, and more. Seek is a smart and easy way to get critical insights to inform better business outcomes, like a ChatGPT for e-commerce and CPG data. Contact Seek for a product demo or more information. ABOUT STORELLI Storelli was founded in 2010 in New York City by an Italian soccer player, and a PhD in biophysics and an action sports industrial designer. We are soccer-obsessed creatives and engineers committed to designing performance gear to protect you from injuries and put you in the zone on the field. From our design efforts to every clinical study we sponsor, our goal is to help you love every second of the beautiful game as much as we do. ABOUT SEEK AI Seek AI is on a mission to build AI that can reason over data. What this means for businesses is democratizing data access and breaking through the information barriers that impede business efficiency. Leveraging proprietary AI agents and code generation, the simple, accurate and secure platform allows users across organizations to easily request and instantly access vital data. Seek AI aims to eliminate the daily obstacles facing knowledge workers while freeing up data teams by automating routine coding tasks-ultimately optimizing the utilization of organizational data at scale. Learn more at Follow us on Twitter @ai_seek and LinkedIn.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Vicci Eyewear Taps Seek AI to Power Data Strategy for Online Retail Growth
Leading Prescription Eyewear Brand Implemented Seek AI for Accurate, Actionable Data Insights NEW YORK, May 21, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Seek AI, the trusted AI agent platform for data, today announced that Vicci Eyewear has selected the Seek AI platform to power its data strategy for online retail growth. Vicci Eyewear, a Miami-based fashion-forward prescription eyewear brand, has partnered with Seek AI to strengthen its data strategy and accelerate online growth. Vicci is known for its exclusive, limited-edition capsule drops designed to offer customers distinctive, high-quality frames and best-in-class lenses. Using Seek's managed services, Vicci can now access critical business and performance data on demand to support investor reporting and enhance marketing performance. With no dedicated data analyst in-house, Vicci is relying on Seek to deliver accurate, actionable insights that fuel decision-making at scale. "Seek gave me data I could confidently put in front of investors. Instead of rough estimates, I had real metrics—average order value, return rates, conversion data—all backed by our own sources," said Steven Geduld, CEO at Vicci Eyewear. "That level of detail saved me time and added credibility. I'm excited to have Seek help Vicci drive a data-driven culture." "We are excited to partner with Vicci Eyewear and implement our Seek AI agentic data platform to deliver faster speed to meaningful insights. In today's world, the retailer with the best data-driven edge will be best equipped to navigate toward better business outcomes, and our Seek data agents are ready to meet that need," said Sarah Nagy, CEO at Seek AI. What is Seek AI? Seek AI is an agentic AI-powered data platform for e-commerce, Shopify, CPG enterprise, and financial services organizations that enables customers better access to their data. Customers across SMB, midmarket and Fortune 500 enterprises rely on Seek to improve their data analytics with a powerful natural language interface for data to guide sales, marketing, promotional campaigns, product inventory, and more. Seek is a smart and easy way to get critical insights to inform better business outcomes, like a ChatGPT for e-commerce and CPG data. Contact Seek for a product demo or more information. ABOUT VICCI EYEWEAR Vicci Eyewear is a fashion-forward prescription eyewear brand built around exclusive, limited-edition capsule drops. The brand is known for its distinctive designs, high-quality frames, and premium lenses that offer both style and performance. ABOUT SEEK AI Seek AI is on a mission to build AI that can reason over data. What this means for businesses is democratizing data access and breaking through the information barriers that impede business efficiency. Leveraging proprietary AI agents and code generation, the simple, accurate and secure platform allows users across organizations to easily request and instantly access vital data. Seek AI aims to eliminate the daily obstacles facing knowledge workers while freeing up data teams by automating routine coding tasks-ultimately optimizing the utilization of organizational data at scale. Learn more at Follow us on Twitter @ai_seek and LinkedIn. View source version on Contacts Seek AI Media:Jessica Cooperjessica@ 650-515-2071 Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
