commercial cognitive computing - storm...

Copyright 2015 © by STORM Insights, Inc. All rights reserved. [email protected] 1

Commercial Cognitive Computing An Emerging Market Report Series

V1.0 February/March 2015

Edited by

Adrian J. Bowles, PhD

STORMWatch:

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Contents I. The Commercial Cognitive Computing Ecosystem 3 II. Machine Learning Technology Vendors 5 III. Solution Providers (April/May edition) 8 IV. I/O Technology Vendors (June/July edition) 9 V. Infrastructure Vendors (August/September edition) 10 VI. Complete Ecosystem Listing 11 VII. Investors 13 VIII. Directory of Vendor Profiles 15 IX. Author Bio 38 Acknowledgements: I’d like to thank Judith Hurwitz and Marcia Kaufman of Hurwitz & Associates, who invited me to join them in writing Cognitive Computing and Big Data Analytics. Our book explains the fundamental technologies and business concepts, from unsupervised learning and natural language processing to the role cognitive computing will play in making smarter cities and more personalized business applications. The Commercial Cognitive Computing report series builds on this work and examines the emerging technology and investment ecosystems. I’d also like to thank Steve Ardire, Merchant of Light, for being a sounding board and sanity-check as I developed this new series. Steve’s extensive experience with cognitive computing startups provided valuable insights that improved my own work. Of course, any errors and omissions are my own – feedback is always welcome:

[email protected] AB

Reproduction and distribution of this publication in any form without prior written permission is forbidden. Information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable. STORM Insights, Inc. disclaims all warranties as to the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of such information and shall have no liability for errors, omissions or inadequacies in the information contained herein or for interpretations thereof. Opinions expressed herein are subject to change without notice.

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I. The Commercial Cognitive Computing Ecosystem

As “cognitive computing” enters the business lexicon with all the hype and investment that usually accompanies trends and fashion, it is natural that vendors create competing definitions tailored to their specific product offerings. We take a more inclusive view: Cognitive computing is a problem-solving approach that uses hardware or software to approximate the form or function of natural cognitive processes. Major natural cognitive processes include learning and perception. In our view, learning is the critical, defining process for cognitive computing. When we talk about learning in the cognitive computing sense, we are specifically referring to processes by which the system may improve its own performance based on experience rather than re-programming.

In the Cognitive Computing Framework figure above we show a mapping between natural cognitive processes and a layered model of cognitive computing functions. Perception, or processing external stimuli, relates to how we acquire the data for learning. For humans, perception includes the five senses, and how we use them to acquire and store information. That would go beyond the neurophysics of vision to include language or reading, and categorization or classification of images. It would also include our ability to discern emotions from voice tone and body language. For cognitive computing today the focus is primarily on digital data. It ranges from data whose structure is visible on the surface, such as database records, to deep structure that requires significant processing, like natural language in books and magazines or images in videos. Perception in

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cognitive systems also includes sensors to monitor stimuli in the environments, and increasingly it may include algorithms to identify emotions or context for written or spoken input. Of course, a system will have to share what it learns in order to be useful, so reporting, visualization, and even story telling will be important in some implementations. There are two primary approaches to building cognitive systems. The first is to build specialized hardware with processing elements that simulate neural activity. Those are called neuromorphic components or systems. The idea is to create processing elements typically based on a neural network model that learns by experience - specifically the experiences of the modeled neurons and synapses, rather than by programming. The second - more common - approach is to create a functional equivalent to a natural cognitive process without attempting to model biological mechanisms. In the Cognitive Computing Technology Ecosystem figure we outline a set of technologies and services to build cognitive computing applications in any domain. Machine learning (ML) – including deep learning, supervised and unsupervised learning – is in the center based on its critical role. On the left we have the technologies to process data for ingestion, segmented by human or machine as a source. On the right, we show the technologies that prepare results for consumption by humans or systems. Finally, along the bottom of the diagram we show the supporting technologies and services that may be required to deliver a complete solution. The six reports in this series will profile vendors throughout the ecosystem, grouped by these major categories. We begin, of course, with machine learning technology vendors.

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II. Machine Learning Technology Vendors At the center of our ecosystem model is technology for machine learning, including deep learning solutions. In this overview graphic, established firms like IBM, which has committed to over $1B in cognitive computing investments, and Google, which has made several acquisitions in this space, are not distinguished from early stage vendors with a single product line. Profiles for each of the firms in this figure are in the directory section of this edition. On the next page we present a summary chart of various revenue models these firms are using today. As the market matures, we expect to see significant shifts in strategy with a few early casualties.

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III. Solution Providers Our February/March edition on learning focuses on the vendors who are creating the machine learning tools. In the April/May edition we will profile leading firms that deliver end-to-end cognitive computing solutions, with an emphasis on those with unique value propositions. For most buyers, the road to cognitive computing success will be shorter and smoother working with a “general contractor” who can provide expertise as well as technology. For example, Accenture, known for development expertise in a variety of vertical markets, leverages the IP Soft platform for smart IT infrastructure management projects. Altilia, an Italian systems vendor, delivers a “smart data” solution that leverages the H2O open source machine learning platform. And, while firms can build Watson solutions independently, or with professional services from IBM, a growing number are choosing another option. Cognitive Scale, a Watson partner with extensive cognitive computing expertise and IP, delivers curated content and deploys Watson powered solutions via their cognitive cloud (members of the Cognitive Scale management team were part of the original Watson team).

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IV. I/O Technology Vendors In the June/July edition of this series we plan to profile firms that develop “perception” technologies (primarily those that recognize and process data associated with vision and hearing) and narrative generation technologies.

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V. Infrastructure Vendors

Cognitive computing application performance typically improves with access to more data. Tools and technologies to manage, analyze and visualize data and insights are required for a complete solution, so we are analyzing leading and emerging vendors in these categories. Vendors often offer products that overlap our categories, so they may appear in more than one diagram but their products will be consolidated in a single profile. In the August/September edition of this series we plan to profile the most interesting firms in each of the infrastructure categories.

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VI. Complete Ecosystem Vendor Listing

These firms have been identified for inclusion in the full report series. The list may change as new firms emerge and others merge, are acquired, or lose relevance due to market conditions or inability to execute. Bold indicates a mention or profile in this edition. • 1010data • 3Gear Systems(Oculus) • ABBYY • Accenture • Actian • Actuate • Adatao • Aerospike • Affectiva • ai-one • Alation • AlchemyAPI (IBM) • Alpine Data Labs • Alteryx • Alt i l ia • Amazon • Angoss • Apple • APX Labs • Artificial Learning • Attivio • Ayasdi • Basho • BeyondVerbal • BigML • Birst • blippar • Boston Dynamics (Google) • BRSLabs • CA Technologies • Caspio • Cisco Systems • Civis Analytics • Clarifai • ClearStoryData • Cognitive Scale • Cognizant Technology • Coherent Knowledge Systems • Connotate

• Context Relevant • Cortical.io • Couchbase • CrowdFlower • CumuLogic • Cycorp • Datameer • DataStax • DataWeb, Inc. • Dark Blue Labs

(Google/Deepmind) • Dato (formerly GraphLab) • DeepMind (Google) • Data Bricks • Dataiku • DataRPM • Dato • DDN • Dell • Deloitte • Dextro • diffbot • Digita l Reasoning • DNN Research (Google) • DWave • EMC/Greenplum • Emerald Logic • Emotient • enStratius (DELL) • Ersatz Labs • Expect Labs • EyeSight • Facebook • First Rain • Flutter(Google) • ForeSee • Fractal Analytics • GestureTek • GigaSpaces

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• Giraph • Google • Grappa • GridGain • Gridspace • Guavus • H2O (formerly Oxdata) • Hitachi Data Systems • Hortonworks • HP Vertica • HRL Laboratories • IBM • idibon • import io • indico • Intel • IPSoft • Kaypok • Kimera Systems • Kimono • KNIME (Konztanz) • KXEN (SAP) • Leap Motion • LiftIgniter • Limbic • Loop AI Labs • Lumiata • Luminoso • Maluuba • MapR • MarkLogic • MathWorks Matlab • MetaMind • Microsoft • Mindops • MongoDB • Mu Sigma • Nara Logics • Narrative Science • NeoTechnology • Nervana Systems • Neurala • Neurence • Neven Vis ion (Google) • Nod • Nuance • Numenta • NuTonian

• Nviso • Omek Interactive (Intel) • OnlyBoth • Opera Solutions • Oracle • Palantir • Paxata • Pentaho • PittPatt (Google) • PopupArchive • Prediction IO • Predixion • Pregel (Google) • Qliktech • Qualcomm • Quid • RainStor • Rapid Miner • Reactor • Revolut ion Analyt ics (MSFT) • Saffron • Salford Systems • SAP • SAS Institute • Scaled Inference • Sentient Technologies, LLC • SiSense • Skymind • Space Curve • SpaceTimeInsight • Spark Beyond • StatSoft (Dell) • Synthos Technologies • Teradeep • Tibco Jaspersoft • TIBCO - Spotfire • Versium • Vicar ious • Visenze • Viv Labs • Wise.io • wit.ai • Wolfram Mathematica • Xerox • Yhat

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VII. Investors

• A Grade Investments

• Vicarious • ABB Technology Ventures

• Vicarious • Accenture • Access Industries

• Sentient Technologies LLC • Alchemist Accelerator

• Wise.io • Allen & Co.

• Nervana Systems • Altman, Sam

• Vicarious • AME Ventures

• Nervana Systems • Amplify Partners

• Scaled Inference • Andreessen Horowitz • Atlantic Bridge • Atlas Venture • Azure Capital Partners • BAE • Battery Ventures • Benioff, Marc

• MetaMind, Vicarious • Bessemer Venture Partners • Bezos, Jeff

• Vicarious • Bloomberg Beta • BlueCross BlueShield Venture

Partners • Lumiata

• Boldstart Ventures • Catamount Ventures • Citi Ventures • Citrix Startup Accelerator

• Wise.io • Clearsky • Constance • Contour Venture Partners • Credit Suisse

• Digital Reasoning • Crunchfund • Data Collective

• Scaled Inference, Vicarious • DFJ Growth • Draper Fisher Jurvetson

• Nervana Systems • Dyson, Esther • Earlybird Venture Capital • EMC • EnerTech Capital • Felicis Ventures

• Scaled Inference, Vicarious • Formation 8

• Vicarious • Founders Fund

• Vicarious • Frost Venture Partners • Fuel Capital

• Nervana Systems • GE Ventures • Genesis Partners • Goldman Sachs

• Digital Reasoning • Good Ventures

• Vicarious • Google Ventures • Greylock Partners • GSV Capital • Haystack Fund • Highland Capital Partners • Horizon Ventures

• Sentient Technologies LLC • IBM • IDG Ventures • Initialized Capital

• Vicarious • In-Q-Tel

• Digital Reasoning • indico • Innovation Works

These firms or individuals have already made investments in one or more of the firms we are covering in the overall cognitive computing ecosystem. Bold indicates an investment in a vendor profiled in this edition, so the investor is listed in the vendor’s profile.

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• Scaled Inference • Insights Venture Partners • Intel Capital • Investor Growth Capital • Ironfire Ventures • IVP • Jump Capital • kbs+ • KEC Ventures • Kima Ventures • Khosla Ventures

• Lumiata, MetaMind, Scaled Inference, Vicarious

• Khosla, Vinad • Vicarious

• KPCB • KPG Ventures • Kutcher, Ashton

• Vicarious • LDV Capital • Lear Corporation • Levie, Aaron

• Vicarious • Liberty Global • Lux Capital

• Scaled Inference • Madrona Venture Group

• Dato • Menlo Ventures • Miramar Venture Partners • Mission Ventures • Moskovitz, Dustin

• Vicarious • Nashville Capital Network

• Digital Reasoning • NEA

• Dato • Northbridge Venture Partners • Northwest Venture Partners • Northwestern University • Novus Energy Partners • NVIDIA • Open Ocean Capital • Open Field Capital

• Vicarious • Opus Capital Ventures

• Dato • OS Fund

• Vicarious

• Palomar Ventures • Principia SGR • Qualcomm Ventures • Quest Venture Partners • Reventon • Robert Bosch Venture Capital • RRE Ventures • Samsung • Sandbox Industries

• Lumiata • Sapphire Ventures • Sequoia Capital • Sierra Ventures • SOS Ventures International • Startup Farms International • StartX • Susa Ventures • SV Angels

• Nervana Systems, Scaled Inference

• Tata Communications • Sentient Technologies LLC

• Telefonica • Tencent

• Scaled Inference • Thiel, Peter

• Vicarious • TIE Angels Group • Toba Capital • Two Sigma Ventures • UMC Capital • Updata Partners • USAA • Voyager Capital

• Wise.io • Vulcan Capital

• Dato • Walden-Riverwood • XG Ventures • Yale • Yang, Jerry

• Vicarious • Zarco Group

• Vicarious • Zouk • Zuckerberg, Mark

• Vicarious

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VIII. Directory of Vendor Profiles

February/March Issue – Machine Learning

Vendor Page AGI3 16 Ai-one 17 bigML 18 Dato 19 Digital Reasoning 20 Ersatz Labs 21 Google 22 H2O 23 IBM 24 IP Soft 25 Kimera Systems 26 Lumiata 27 MetaMind 28 Microsoft 29 Nervana Systems 30 Numenta 31 Saffron 32 Scaled Inference 33 Sentient Tech. 34 Skymind 35 Vicarious 36 Wise.io 37

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