The University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation has named the first group of AI Research Commons Midwest Fellows Program to select five beginning-stage artificial intelligence startups from research universities in the Midwest.
The program was launched in collaboration with AI Research Commons, Microsoft, and NVIDIA to support AI founders as they commercialize and grow their companies. The first cohort was announced on May 19, 2026, following a competitive review process that received nearly 150 applications.
Selected startups will receive up to $350,000 in startup credits in eligible services through Microsoft for Startups, access to AI models through Azure, one-on-one technical coaching from Microsoft experts, and discounts on tools like GitHub, Microsoft 365, LinkedIn Premium, and more.
This cohort will also benefit from NVIDIA’s Inception Program for Startups, mentorship from AI operators, researchers, and investors, co-working space at San Francisco’s Third Coast Foundry, and investor opportunities through Mayfield’s AI Pathfinders and Mayfield AI Start programs.
The program is open to faculty, students, and researchers at Third Coast Foundry’s eight Midwest research universities: Carnegie Mellon University, Northwestern University, Ohio State University, Purdue University, University of Chicago, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Washington University in St. Louis.
5 AI startups selected from universities in the Midwest
The first cohort includes INRTL, founded by Northwestern University’s Karan Ahuja, which is building foundational models for inertial data. The startup is working on developing motion sensor data that can be used in the fields of augmented reality, robotics, defense, and health.
Founded by Rory Brenner of Carnegie Mellon University, Perforated AI develops technology that enables machine learning engineers to build smaller, more efficient AI models.
Founded by Chenhao Tan of the University of Chicago, SAI Labs is building what it calls a quality layer for scientific and financial knowledge work.
Two stealth companies also joined the group. Arnab Nandi at The Ohio State University is working on human-in-the-loop AI infrastructure for enterprises, and Rakesh Kumar at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is developing an AI-powered performance engineering platform that generates high-performance code for AI infrastructure and agent AI systems.
A program that connects AI founders with technical and investor support
“The Midwest produces some of the most promising AI research and technology talent in the world, but founders often need more than powerful technology to build successful companies,” said Sameer Maekar, managing director of the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.
“This program provides startups with direct access to the infrastructure, mentorship, and investor networks they need to accelerate commercialization and build industry-defining companies.”
Participating startups will have access to Bay Area investors, technical advisors, and commercialization support. Announced earlier this year, Third Coast Foundry is a San Francisco-based hub designed to strengthen the Midwest’s presence in the venture ecosystem.
ARC and partner universities selected a cohort that included university innovation and entrepreneurship teams from across Third Coast Foundry institutions. The review process focused on innovation, commercialization potential, and the strength of the founding team.
AI Research Commons and Mayfield return to first cohort
Ajay Singh, co-founder of AI Research Commons, said: “The companies selected for this first cohort reflect the depth of AI innovation coming out of research institutions across the Midwest.”
“These founders are tackling important challenges that can have real-world impact across industries. By combining the research power of the university with practical support from experienced executives, investors, and technology partners, we look forward to helping these teams move from breakthrough innovation to scalable companies faster.”
Mayfield AI General Partner Vijay Reddy said: “This group reflects the next generation of AI entrepreneurs working on important problems across industries.”
“We are excited to help connect them with the mentorship, infrastructure, and investor network they need to scale.”
The five selected startups will join the AI Research Commons Midwest Fellows Program through a support package from Microsoft, NVIDIA, Third Coast Foundry, AI Research Commons, Mayfield, and the Polsky Center. The program includes access to coworking in San Francisco, technical mentorship, and presentation opportunities to a network of investors and operators.
