Joining Microsoft’s Machine Learning Accelerator

Originally published on the Clarify.io blog. View archived copy.

Today we are excited to announce we have joined the Microsoft Ventures Accelerator to take part in the machine learning cohort in Seattle, Washington.

We are thrilled to work with some of the people defining this industry. The combination of our approaches and Microsoft’s fundamental research will let us meet our clients’ needs and accomplish things for them that weren’t previously possible.

While we knew a few graduates of the Microsoft Accelerator, we hadn’t seriously considered it. Then in the span of one week, their CTO in Residence Josh Holmes and our Austin-local Startup & Developer Evangelist Ryan Joy both independently urged us to consider it. We’ve known both of them for years and trusted their advice, so we looked at the program and liked what we saw.

The single most important aspect to us was the machine learning focus. Machine learning is used heavily in vision and language spaces but just starting to be applied to speech which is our specialty. We hope to learn from other members of the cohort who are applying these concepts in other areas, and combine them with our own ideas.

Some quick answers to common questions:

• No, we’re not moving to Seattle. We will each visit as the program covers topics relevant to our roles and stage.
• No, this is not about getting Microsoft Ventures to invest..
• Yes, renting a houseboat was cheaper than an apartment.
• And yes, the houseboat comes with 4 kayaks, 2 stand up paddleboards, and 2 bikes, so we’ll be getting in shape while the machines figure out what they should be doing.
• Yes, you should join us in a small celebration this evening.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to drop us a note or reach out to us.
And if you’re in Seattle, drop us a note as we’d love to meet!