Google has announced the launch of a competition, and it is offering prizes worth more than $2 million — including cloud credits and investment opportunities — for startups using machine learning for enterprise and business software.
The competition is being run in partnership with seven venture capital firms that include Sequoia, KPCB, GV, Data Collective, Emergence Capital, Andreessen Horowitz and Greylock. Two of the firms, Data Collective and Emergence Capital, plan to contribute $500,000 each to the winning startup.
According to the application form the program is open to startups in the U.S. that have raised less than $5 million and use machine learning software, in any industry vertical. Entrants’ use of the Google Cloud Platform public cloud infrastructure is “encouraged but not required,”
Startups will be judged on the uniqueness of their underlying machine learning implementation. Traditional venture criteria like the ability to scale, the existence of product market fit and the skill set and preparedness of teams will also be in play.
Applications for the Machine Learning Startup Competition were opened on March 10, and will remain open till April 16. The finalists will be selected in June.
