Andy Konwinski, co-founder of Databricks and Perplexity, has launched a new institute, Laude, aimed at supporting scientific research in the field of artificial intelligence. To this end, he has allocated $100 million of his own funds, creating a structure that combines non-profit initiatives with venture activities.
This is reported by Finway
First Grant for UC Berkeley and a Unique Operational Model
The first step of the fund was a five-year grant of $15 million to establish the AI Systems Lab at the University of California, Berkeley. The lab, which will be led by Professor Ion Stoica—a renowned expert in distributed systems and co-founder of Anyscale and Databricks—will begin operations in 2027. The aim of this project is to advance fundamental and applied research in AI.
Laude’s Strategy and Partnership with Leading Experts
The Laude Institute operates under a hybrid model, combining non-profit activities with a venture fund that will begin operations in 2024 alongside former NEA partner Pete Sonsini. More than 50 leading researchers in the field have joined the fund’s partners. One of the first investment projects is the startup Arcade, which focuses on developing infrastructure for AI agents.
The board of the Laude Institute includes key global figures in the field of artificial intelligence: Berkeley Professor Dave Patterson, Google Chief Scientist Jeff Dean, and Meta’s Vice President of Research, Joel Pino. The institute categorizes its initiatives into Slingshots—rapid projects aimed at implementing innovative ideas—and Moonshots—large-scale and ambitious research aimed at transforming science, healthcare, the labor market, and public dialogue.
Laude is created “by researchers for researchers” and is designed not only to advance science but also to shape its ethical and societal trajectory
Konwinski emphasizes that the fund is open to attracting new private investors who wish to support independent research in AI. His financial resources are derived from stakes in Databricks (valued at $62 billion) and Perplexity (with a market capitalization reaching $14 billion).
The founder of Laude believes that against the backdrop of increasing commercial interests in scientific activities, the new fund will serve as an effective platform for fundamental, transparent, and socially beneficial research in artificial intelligence, supported by leading experts in the field.