Anthemis and Cambridge AI Venture Partners Launch CommonAI: A Strategic Collaboration to Supercharge the UK and European AI Market

Anthemis, a leading early-stage investment firm, and Cambridge AI Venture Partners (CAIVP), a team comprised of industry experts Sir Andy Hopper, Prof. Rob Mullins, Dr Gavin Ferris and Mike Halsall, today announce the launch of CommonAI, a collaborative engineering and computing platform for AI-enabled start-ups, enterprises, engineers, academics and investors.   

CommonAI combines the deep AI knowledge of CAIVP with the investment expertise of Anthemis to turbocharge the UK and European AI innovation ecosystem. It seeks to tackle the key challenges and barriers start-ups and enterprises face, allowing them to innovate safely and cost effectively, reduce their reliance on Big Tech and secure the strategic investment critical to seizing the AI growth opportunity.  

At the heart of the initiative is a non-profit engineering organization – Common AI CIC – a UK community interest company that will co-develop foundational AI IP in partnership with its members. The platform additionally provides access to CommonAI Compute Ltd – a facilitator of cost effective GPU resource. Both entities will be underpinned by a shared Digital Commons repository, providing world class resources to ecosystem members under time embargo.   

Through CommonAI membership, AI-enabled start-ups and enterprises will gain access to  world-class IP including models, weights, framework software, training data and hardware designs, while also gaining affordable access to critical GPU resources. Together, these capabilities will allow UK and European businesses to develop AI-enabled propositions that can successfully compete at global scale.   

Commenting Dr Gavin Ferris, CEO, CommonAI CIC said: ‘Increasingly, AI start-ups and SMEs find themselves unable to assemble the computing power, technology and strategic resources necessary to successfully compete on the world stage.  CommonAI’s innovation platform, shared IP and industry expertise will play a critical role in levelling this playing field, unlocking new growth opportunities and protecting the long-term economic future of both the UK and Europe.’ 

‘Structuring and governing our engineering organization as an unconflicted Community Interest Company (CIC) ensures that the interests of our members are protected while encouraging collaboration and maximizing the potential of the UK AI ecosystem.’  

Sir Andy Hopper, Board Chair, CommonAI CIC added: ‘AI is reshaping the global economy and will power disruption across every sector. However, with Big Tech’s dominance over large-scale AI models and infrastructure, start-ups are being denied access to this burgeoning opportunity – and even larger enterprises face the challenge of balancing their innovation agenda with the resources required to power their core business.’        

By enabling ‘Virtual BigCos’ and unleashing the latent power of our entrepreneurs – and working in partnership with leading engineering talent, research institutions and universities – businesses of all scales in our economy can access the capabilities and expertise they need to thrive on the global stage.’  

Unlocking access to smart, supportive capital   

Following the launch of the CommonAI platform, Anthemis intends to raise a “High Assurance AI” fund to invest in UK and European start-ups who are applying AI in highly regulated and complex industries such as financial services, healthcare, critical infrastructure and defence. This is the first in a planned series of CommonAI-branded funds that aim to extend the traditional VC offering, by providing portfolio companies access not only to capital, but also to the transformative technology support of the foundational CommonAI platform.  

Anthemis Founder and Group CEO, Amy Nauiokas, said ‘The UK’s Industrial Strategy sets out an ambitious AI plan, but delivering this vision requires collaboration and engagement between government and the wider ecosystem, alongside a bold approach.’   

‘We’re delighted to be putting ourselves at the heart of this and developing an unparalleled platform around which stakeholders can coalesce to deliver meaningful impact. Decisive action has never been more necessary to establish the UK and Europe as a global leader and maintain its attractiveness as a destination for disruptive businesses.’   

‘We are building an AI ecosystem to drive forward action – one that clears the barriers to accessing the opportunities presented by a new wave of innovation and combines deep expertise, cutting-edge technology, cheaper compute and access to smart, supportive capital.’ 

‘Getting this right is critical to the UK and Europe’s economic future and we’re excited about the prospect of working alongside our partners and members to build the next generation of industry champions.’