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Frederick, Md.-based MSTRO — which stands for Multi-Data System for Translation, Recognition, and Orchestration — has closed a seed funding round of $1.5 million from TEDCO and others, as it aims to develop human-aided artificial intelligence tools.
The startup — founded by the duo of CEO Chris Busch and chief innovation officer Yancey Sanford — says it has been in development for the past five years, and has made “substantial enterprise pre-sales…across multiple industries.” MSTRO said it is in the final phase of global beta system testing, and expects to launch services in March.
“Our mission is simple yet bold: to elevate human potential by merging human intuition with AI’s capabilities,” said Sanford, who served the US Navy for over three years. “This funding brings us one step closer to realizing a world where the impossible becomes the inevitable, driven by the sparks of human ingenuity.”
Busch said the investment isn’t just about “scaling MSTRO” but also about “sparking a movement.” The company will “inspire visionaries to explore, discover, spark, and create. Together, we’ll redefine what’s possible in the age of AI,” he added.
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TEDCO, the Maryland Technology Development Corp., gave $500,000 to the startup from its Gap investment fund, which is itself part of the agency’s Seed Funds.
“TEDCO’s Seed Funds were created to support promising companies like MSTRO,” said Seed Funds director Teddy Gresser. “With this investment, we hope to see MSTRO’s continued growth and innovation. We encourage entrepreneurs and small-business owners to take advantage of our resources.”
MSTRO said it would use the new funds to accelerate product optimization, expand its global reach, and establish strategic partnerships. It also said it would aim to price its offerings to allow access to businesses of all sizes, enabling them to harness the full potential of AI. The startup plans a Series A round in March or April.