Chosen from a Nearly 90% AI-Driven Applicant Pool, Batch 14 Brings Scalable Solutions to Enterprise Software, Life Care, Supply Chains and Customer Service
NEC X, the Silicon Valley venture studio backed by NEC’s advanced technologies and global businesses, today announced seven visionary startups selected for Batch 14 of its Elev X! Ignite program. The cohort will fast-track new innovations to transform veterinary and elder care, construction, agriculture, retail experiences and enterprise processes.
The batch’s competitive six-week selection process attracted hundreds of applications from across diverse industry sectors, with only 9.3% advancing. More telling, nearly 90% of submissions focused on AI, up from 56.2% in Batch 13, primarily targeting practical, industry-specific automation over general-purpose or entertainment uses.
“We’re entering an era where AI is no longer a layer of technology, but an enabler of industry transformation,” said Shintaro Matsumoto, President and CEO of NEC X. “Batch 14 founders are using their deep industry knowledge to reimagine processes and build the foundation for an AI-driven future.”
Batch 14 includes:
- AgriAssure – Global regulatory compliance SaaS for agri-food businesses, automating compliance, gap analysis and traceability to speed new market entry
- CloudMind – Reimagining eldercare with AI companions that foster meaningful emotional connections and ease the caregiver journey
- Deka – AI agent for preconstruction, starting with Cursor tools for RFPs, enabling firms to create high-quality proposals and responses within minutes
- HashQ AI – Software automates customer renewal and retention workflows, turning unstructured data into personalized playbooks that drive engagement
- Milkyway X AI – Operator-grade AI copilot turns fragmented retail data into SKU-level actions, enabling apparel brands to reduce waste and improve profitability
- OdisAI – The first AI-powered veterinary scribe with native diagnostic prediction and automated client communication, delivering faster workflows and higher-quality patient care
- ssender.ai – Agentic community manager increasing social media ROI for businesses
Each startup benefits from NEC X’s comprehensive support network, which offers the opportunity to access NEC’s 45,000 patents and world-class researchers, expert-led workshops and mentorship, product development resources, and specialized investor readiness training. Startups also have the potential to leverage NEC’s global reach across more than 55 international markets and the opportunity to leverage NEC’s $8 billion annual R&D ecosystem.
Together, these resources equip founders with the tools and connections needed to accelerate growth, scale globally, and bring transformative solutions to market. Graduates of Elev X! programs have gone on to raise funding, gain early traction and bring transformative solutions to market. Recent alumni include Yadag, WeWalk, Landwise Analytica, Chekable, Clikr, GPx, Multitude Insights, Qualitative Intelligence, Reveleum, Verdi and more.
Explore AITechPark for the latest advancements in AI, IOT, Cybersecurity, AITech News, and insightful updates from industry experts!