Google DeepMind might have not just produced cutting-edge AI technologies, but have also churned out entrepreneurial talent who have gone out to build things outside their space. Leaving their nest to soar high, a number of DeepMind employees have left the organisation over the last few years. As per an article in Insider, over 200 former DeepMind employees have built startups in the field of AI, cryptocurrency, biotechnology, climate tech, and other fields, and have also raised millions of dollars for it. Insider also stated that a dozen of them are operating in stealth mode. 

How are Google DeepMind employees able to shine outside? 

Investor – Employee Competence 

The AI craze got the wheel turning with investors jumping onto the bandwagon and betting big on AI startups. In addition to AI startups, ambitious investors are also focussing on companies that address climate problems and biomedical space too. With DeepMind’s executive team being active angel investors for AI startups, the impetus to guide their former employees who branch out to start their own venture, is strong. 

Cofounder of Google DeepMind, Mustafa Suleyman, has invested in over ten AI startups, and cofounder Demis Hassabis has invested in three. Suleyman-founded Inflection AI  has raised a total funding of $1.5B.  

Mehdi Ghissassi, Director and head of product at Google DeepMind, invested in GlyphicAI, a startup founded by a former DeepMind employee. Cofounder Devang Agrawal, stated that the value offered by Google DeepMind executives is not solely financial; their substantial expertise gained from working in the research field holds significant importance too. 

Flying on Stealth Mode

Most of the startups founded by DeepMind employees are operating as ‘stealth startups’. They operate with an intention to keep their products and other details secret from the public and competitors too. Protecting confidentiality and avoiding unnecessary attention until the company is fully prepared makes sense if these founders are looking to protect themselves from investor competition. 

Two months ago, former research engineer at Google DeepMind Adam Liska, announced his newly founded company – Glyphic AI, an AI copilot for the sales team, is out of stealth mode after a year of incorporation. Co-founder Devang Agrawal told Insider that stealth mode is good for AI founders as it helps build a “substantial head start and view the competition before you show the world.” He also believes that stealth mode alleviates a founder’s burden, by providing them with the liberty to experiment with their product before presenting to investors. 

Jonathan Godwin, co-founder of Orbital Materials, and former Research Engineer at Google DeepMind, believes working on stealth mode “makes sense.” Karl Moritz Hermann , another former employee, and founder of Dark Blue Labs that was acquired by Google DeepMind, has been inspired by Google DeepMind’s model of working in stealth mode.  

Opportunity Beckons Everywhere 

Going by how big tech companies and investors are seeking to tap into growing markets such as energy and climate, the startups are also pursuing similar goals. Nuclear energy which is considered as a potential renewable source of energy has driven a number of tech companies to invest in nuclear fusion and fission startups. Similarly, big tech are also employing AI to combat climate change – another beacon for startups to follow. Open ClimateFix, started by Jack Kelly , a former research engineer at Google DeepMind, works on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. 

There is also a shift towards building startups that work on addressing societal problems with  former employees working on a diverse range of domains. Adji Bousso Dieng, a former research scientist at Google DeepMind, has founded a nonprofit The Africa I Know to help improve STEM education in Africa. 

Startup ventures are not complete without mentioning crypto markets. Miljan Martic and Peter Toth, former research engineers at Google DeepMind, started Kosen Labs that develops AI applications for Web3 and blockchain. 

Considering the industry domains that former Google DeepMind employees have ventured into, it’s evident that they are exploring a wide range of potential leading industries. Even investor and entrepreneur Sam Altman, has invested in fields such as cryptocurrency, energy, bioscience, and more. This probably bodes well for the future of these industries. Coupled with the extensive experience acquired at Google DeepMind, it’s likely that they are all on a promising trajectory.