Creating the next-generation global telecom infrastructure. Harnessing the “DNA” of individual voices to unlock the potential of voice-based interfaces. Using AI to prevent crop damage and improve yields. Startup-friendly pricing for MATLAB and Simulink enables Altaeros, Yobe, Kestrel, and other early-stage technology startups to develop pioneering technologies and break boundaries to improve how we live, work, and play.

Altaeros’s mission is to rapidly expand affordable, state-of-the-art telecommunications to rural communities around the world. The Altaeros SuperTower uses the world’s first autonomous aerostat platform to deploy high-speed mobile broadband in rural markets at a fraction of the cost of alternatives. Each SuperTower replaces a network of 15 traditional cell towers and seamlessly integrates into the existing cell network.

Yobe has created software that can accurately track a voice’s “DNA” in any auditory environment and separate a voice of interest from background noise including other voices. This approach improves overall sound quality and speech command accuracy for far-field applications and speaker identification platforms. An example use case is the ability to use a low-power “wake word” (i.e., Alexa, Siri, OK Google) to validate authorized users, retrieve their user profiles, and preload their device and application settings in noisy environments.

Kestrel Agritech applies intelligent hardware and evolving algorithms to images from low-altitude thermal surveillance from unmanned drones. Their proprietary recognition algorithm driven by AI can identify pests and damaged crops across large farms. The algorithm learns from its mistakes and evolves to pinpoint the location of infestations and destroy pests automatically.

Altaeros, Yobe, and Kestrel Agritech are among the more than 3000 companies that have joined the MathWorks Startup Program. Access to MATLAB and Simulink at startup-friendly prices has helped these emerging companies perform critical research, develop prototypes quickly with limited staff, and attract key investors that help bring their products to production.