Reliabl

I am VERY excited to announce that Reliabl has been accepted into the first-ever Techstars San Francisco cohort ?? This is a big moment for our team as we join an incredible lineup of Enterprise, SaaS, and AI founders. The program officially kicked off in person today, and we’ve already started digging into some valuable insights from Techstars. A huge thank you to the Reliabl team—Duncan McElfresh, Val Elefante, Julija Rukanskait?, Maya Mundell, and Morgan Stewart—for the dedication and hard work that helped get us to this point. We’re also incredibly grateful to our investors and advisors for being by our side through this journey. A special thanks to Neal Sales-Griffin, Lilliana Robinson, Sylvia Bouloutas, and Chloe Lannert for championing Reliabl and designing such a thoughtful, impactful program. We’re looking forward to all that’s ahead! #TechstarsSF #Techstars Techstars Techstars Bay Area Chapter

Our new website is live! Check it out at https://reliabl.ai ??

What We’re Reading??? In our ongoing pursuit to stay ahead of the curve in AI, data transparency, and ethical tech practices, the Reliabl team has been diving into some insightful reads. Here are a few highlights from our #research channel: ???We unleashed Facebook and Instagram’s algorithms on blank accounts. They served up sexism and misogyny - The Guardian?(https://lnkd.in/g9f4chGR) A sobering experiment revealing how social media algorithms, when left unchecked, can perpetuate harmful biases. ?? Critical Dataset Studies Reading List - Knowing Machines?(https://lnkd.in/gD2uq6X8) A must-read collection of resources that dive into the ethical and technical challenges surrounding AI datasets. ???How the AI industry profits from catastrophe - MIT Technology Review(https://lnkd.in/gQjkjFaH) A critical analysis of how the AI industry can exploit crises for financial gain, raising important ethical concerns. ?? Will generative AI revolutionize the way VCs find deals? - Sifted?(https://lnkd.in/gMZjJBYa) An exploration of how generative AI could transform the venture capital landscape, offering new ways to discover and evaluate startups. ^^ Re this last article: As generative AI continues to shape industries, the potential impact on venture capital is immense. However, there’s a crucial consideration: AI models are trained on historical data, which can perpetuate existing biases. This is where founder demographic data becomes essential. By integrating this data into the ML pipeline, we can work towards reducing bias and ensuring that AI-driven decisions are fairer and more inclusive. #AI #EthicalTech #DataTransparency #GenerativeAI #VC #InclusionInTech

The venture capital industry is facing new DEI data transparency laws, and California is leading the way. By March, VC firms must report the full diversity statistics of their portfolios, publish them on their websites, and submit them to an agency. This applies not only to California-based VC firms but also to those invested in any California-based companies. At Reliabl, we're committed to supporting these initiatives with our DEI Compass tool, which will make it easier for firms to comply with these new regulations and promote transparency as well as data privacy in the industry. Listen to the latest episode of Open||Source||Data Podcast to hear Reliabl CEO Andrea Brown describe how to prepare for these laws taking effect:?https://lnkd.in/gHaf4mNi Stay tuned for more updates on our DEI Compass launch! ?? #Diversity #Equity #Inclusion #VC #Compliance #Reliabl

We did it! Reflecting on the recent Pride VC Ecosystem White House Roundtable, I am filled with gratitude and a renewed sense of hope for the future of venture capital. The agenda was packed with insightful discussions, starting with a warm welcome by Kate Balcerzak from the Office of Public Engagement, followed by impactful remarks from fmr. Mayor of Columbia, SC and Presidential Advisor Steve Benjamin. Hearing from key administration officials Michael Konczal, Suzanna Fritzberg, and Jonathan Lovitz underscored the Biden administration's commitment to fostering equitable economic development. Patrick Driscoll introduced the roundtable and our goals for the meeting, which included discussing the state of capital allocation to LGBTQ+ led and focused funds and startups, educating public sector leaders on barriers faced by LGBTQ+ fund managers and startup founders, and providing actionable recommendations to improve the flow of capital. Brian Richardson and Vivienne Ming set the stage with an overview of LGBTQ+ entrepreneurship, highlighting opportunities for data collection and funding programs. Lorine Pendleton spoke to investor accreditation reform and passage of the DEAL Act, while Amy Siskind emphasized the importance of intentional representation in the LGBTQ venture community. A key discussion point was inclusive, ethical data collection—a topic I am very familiar with through my work at Reliabl. I was honored to advocate for the development of data collection tools by diverse entrepreneurs, as well as highlight the work of fellow diverse-founded companies such as Diem and Lex. Technology is inherently political, and it's crucial to give diverse technologists the opportunity build data solutions to ensure that biases are not present. By empowering diverse entrepreneurs to design, implement, and test these tools, we can better meet the needs of underrepresented founders and create solutions that truly serve our communities. The open discussion provided a platform for all attendees to share their perspectives and insights, fostering a collaborative environment aimed at driving meaningful change. I especially loved B. Pagels-Minor's comment re: including middle America in VC and startup funding opportunities, ensuring a place-based approach to economic growth. We also discussed Fearless Fund implications, the importance of appointing experienced LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs and asset allocators to Federal committees, and the need for more funding for LGBTQ+ initiatives focused on data collection in entrepreneurship and the financial sectors. I am proud to be part of this pivotal conversation and look forward to continuing to work towards a more inclusive and equitable future for all entrepreneurs alongside this inspiring group of leaders. The White House, U.S. Department of the Treasury, U.S. Department of Commerce #WhiteHouseRoundtable #DataCollection #InclusiveEntrepreneurship #DiverseFounders #LGBTQEntrepreneurship

Don't forget! If you are curious about the Diversity VC Bill (CA SB54), be sure to register for my presentation hosted by StartOut on June 25th, 1:30 PT. All California-based VCs, and VCs with at least one CA company in their portfolio will be required to publish their diversity data before March 2025 - so it's good to get informed now. This event is for both investors and founders ??♀?

???What We're Reading ??? Sharing with my network some of the highlights from Reliabl's #research Slack channel. I'm lucky to work alongside some very brilliant people, and getting a look into what they are reading to stay up-to-date on industry research is a gift worth sharing! "Excavating AI: The Politics of Training Sets for Machine Learning" - (https://excavating.ai) Consensus and Subjectivity of Skin Tone Annotation for ML Fairness?- Google AI?(https://lnkd.in/gXpHG9kh) Building a Social Media Algorithm That Actually Promotes Society’s Well-being?- Stanford HAI (https://lnkd.in/gBWzHq6T) "A Hunt for the Snark: Annotator Diversity in Data Practices" (https://lnkd.in/guqAQkmC) Meta’s New AI Council Is Comprised Entirely of White Men?- TechCrunch (https://lnkd.in/gDvxB8aW) AI Governance Needs Sociotechnical Expertise?- Data & Society?(https://lnkd.in/gbTPtJry) "Do Datasets Have Politics? Disciplinary Values in Computer Vision Dataset Development"?(https://lnkd.in/gQgwbXUy) Shutterstock’s AI Licensing Business Generated $104 Million Last Year?- Bloomberg?(https://lnkd.in/gS8BM-ie) PS - You'll notice quite a few academic articles in this month's list. This is because our team is currently working on a research project highlighting the importance of annotator diversity in ethical AI development. More details on this project to come!

Data ?? Power ?? Change ??? A great way to support LGBTQIA+ founders during pride month is to advocate for more transparency in capital allocation. If you haven't already, be sure to register for this event Reliabl is co-hosting with our friends at StartOut. At the virtual event, you'll learn more about the new VC Diversity Bill as well as how to support the work folks like Allison Byers, Sarah Millar, Ben Stokes, Irene Tang, and Patrick Driscoll are doing to make diversity data visible and drive meaningful change. **Spoiler Alert** We will be officially launching Reliabl's diversity data transparency tool at the end of the presentation, so make sure to RSVP if you want a first look ??

"One of the notable practices includes enabling users to contribute directly to data labeling, ensuring AI models epitomize a broader range of perspectives and experiences, and mitigating the risk of perpetuating biases. This level of engagement cultivates a sense of ownership and accountability among users, often culminating in elevated levels of trust in the platform." ???? ???? ????

Join Reliabl CEO Annie Brown on June 25th for a presentation on DEI Data Transparency Regulations hosted by StartOut ??