On 23 September, DNV Ventures launched the “Trust in AI”-fund, an initiative aimed at partnering with and investing in companies in the US, Europe and Asia that are dedicated to safe and responsible AI.
DNV Ventures, established in 2020, invests in digital-first companies that recognize and leverage the transformations changing all sectors. To date, DNV Ventures has invested in 14 companies that align with DNV’s purpose of “safeguarding life, property, and the environment".
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After screening more than 300 companies DNV Ventures made the first investment through the fund this summer.
The chosen company 2021.AI from Denmark specializes in scaling responsible AI solutions in compliance with the EU Artificial Intelligence Act.
With DNV Ventures investment, 2021. AI aims to grow their sales and marketing efforts to serve the Responsible AI market as they move toward their major funding round in Q1 2025.
Going forward DNV Ventures is excited to invest in five more companies committed to building trust in AI, fostering innovation, and ensuring the safe deployment of AI technologies.
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According to Kjetil Ebbesberg, Chief Financial Officer at DNV and head of the investment committee for DNV Ventures, DNV has a unique position to take on this responsibility: |
“DNV has extensive experience from sectors such as maritime, energy, and healthcare, which means we understand AI both in isolation and how it works with other complex systems in these sectors. By combining DNV’s research on trust in AI and making more investments in this field, we strengthen our position in responsible AI and AI governance", he says.
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To mark the launch of the “Trust in AI” fund, DNV Ventures gathered 150 innovators during Oslo Innovation Week. This event underscored the vital importance of trustworthy AI, with recent EU research predicting that up to 15% of all AI models will soon be integrated into essential sectors like healthcare, energy, and transportation.
Here, key industry experts gathered to share their insights and knowledge on the topic. Among them Toju Duke, former Program Manager for Responsible AI at Google and founder of Diverse AI, who delivered an insightful keynote on the decline in trust in AI and strategies to rebuild it. |
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Holger Hussmann, Co-founder of Bluetooth and CEO of Simula Consulting, led a panel discussion and shared his perspectives on AI and trustworthy AI systems. Other panelists, including Christian Agrell from DNV, Helga M. Brogger from DNV, Lars Petter Lunden from Smartwatt, and Mikael Munck from 2021.AI, also contributed their insights on AI and trustworthy AI systems.