NetApp has announced the 15th cohort of its startup accelerator programme, NetApp Excellerator, selecting five startups working across AI-powered software engineering, generative AI security, workflow automation and enterprise data intelligence.
The latest cohort brings together startups from India, the United States and Israel, reflecting growing enterprise demand for technologies that can help organisations deploy AI securely and at scale. Through the six-month programme, participating founders will receive mentorship, access to NetApp’s technology leaders and data infrastructure expertise, and opportunities to explore proof-of-concept (PoC) engagements with the company.
The five startups selected for Cohort 15 are LightSprint AI, an AI-native software engineering platform that uses collaborative AI agents to automate software development; Wald.ai, which provides context-aware data loss prevention for enterprise AI communications; and Lasso Security, a cybersecurity platform focused on securing AI applications, agents and large language models.
The cohort also includes Cogover, an AI-powered no-code and low-code workflow automation platform, and QUIPU AI, which transforms enterprise data into contextual intelligence for AI applications.
Focus on enterprise AI adoption
As organisations move beyond AI experimentation towards production deployments, the startups address challenges around software development, security, business process automation and making enterprise data usable for AI systems.
“AI is still altering industries and opening up new opportunities for businesses all over the world,” said Vasanthi Ramesh, vice-president of engineering and site leader at NetApp India. She said the selected startups were addressing significant challenges enterprises face as they deploy AI at scale.
Through the accelerator, NetApp aims to help founders develop their ideas into scalable solutions by connecting them with technical expertise, mentorship and enterprise opportunities, while supporting a more inclusive deep-tech innovation ecosystem.
The programme also provides participating startups with opportunities to explore potential use cases and PoCs with NetApp’s internal teams. Each cohort receives a US$15,000 grant for a potential PoC.
Women-led startups in focus
Two startups in the latest cohort, Cogover and QUIPU AI, are also part of ExcellerateHER, an initiative within NetApp Excellerator that supports women-founded and women-led startups through mentorship, technology expertise and enterprise opportunities.
Since its launch, ExcellerateHER has supported 23 women-led startups, according to NetApp.
For QUIPU AI, participation in the programme is an opportunity to test its technology in enterprise environments and explore how its long-term memory capabilities could support AI initiatives at scale.
“The hardest part of deep tech is taking it from the lab into a real enterprise, and we believe NetApp is the right partner to help us make that leap,” said Naren Meadem, founder and chief executive officer of QUIPU AI. He added that the company aims to work with NetApp’s teams to validate its technology and build solutions for enterprise use.
Cogover, meanwhile, is focused on connecting data, applications and workflows to help businesses coordinate work across teams and AI systems.
Mina Nguyen, co-founder and chief growth officer of Cogover, said the platform is designed to help businesses manage processes that span multiple channels and teams. Participation in the accelerator will provide an opportunity to learn from businesses in India and help organisations improve workflow execution.
Track record in deep-tech entrepreneurship
Launched in 2017, NetApp Excellerator has supported 90 startups across 14 previous cohorts. The participating companies have collectively raised more than US$600 million in funding, while the programme has facilitated 30 PoC engagements and led to six commercial contracts within NetApp. The programme has also attracted more than 20 founders with PhDs.
The latest cohort continues the programme’s focus on connecting early-stage deep-tech companies with enterprise technology expertise and potential commercial opportunities.
For NetApp, the accelerator is also a way to engage with emerging technologies and founders working on challenges related to data infrastructure, AI security and enterprise automation. For startups, access to technical mentorship and opportunities to validate solutions in enterprise settings could help bridge the gap between early-stage development and commercial adoption.