San Diego venture studio fund Analytics Ventures tapped three well-known tech executives for its advisory board.
Richard Valencia, president of Qualcomm Life; Michael Zeller, senior vice president of AI strategy and innovation at Software AG; and Kiva Allgood, chief commercial development officer at GE Ventures and Business Innovation, will join Analytics’ Ventures advisory board, the company announced on Jan. 9.
Analytics Ventures specializes in helping form and grow artificial intelligence companies. Unlike other early-stage funds that invest in existing companies, Analytics Ventures seeks business ideas that it can turn into businesses. Its companies range from precision oncology to AI-powered stock trading.
“Apart from offering access to our proprietary AI lab and esteemed team of data scientists, we also have a deep bench of advisors who provide invaluable experience and proficiency across a wide range of industries,” Analytics Ventures Managing Partner Navid Alipour said in a news release. “With the addition of Richard Valencia, Dr. Michael Zeller, and Kiva Allgood, we not only diversify our board expertise, but we effectively position every venture — now and in the future — for long-term growth and profitability.”
Valencia, who heads up Qualcomm’s health care subsidiary, also oversees the $100 million Qualcomm Life Fund and dRx Capital, which make venture investments in digital health startups.
“The healthcare industry has been one of the most notable beneficiaries of emerging technologies and advances in automation and connectivity. These things are essential if we’re to continue to enhance patient care at the personal and professional levels,” Valencia said in a news release. “Analytics Ventures has already demonstrated an aptitude for harnessing AI in the medical field via its work with CureMatch and CureMetrix. In joining its advisory board, I know I’ll be working alongside some of the brightest minds in the world to help create the new gold standard of healthcare, predicated on AI.”
Zeller leads German enterprise software company Software AG’s efforts in artificial intelligence, machine learning and predictive analytics. He is based out of the company’s San Diego office.
Allgood has headed up GE Ventures’ commercial development and market intelligence practice in San Diego since 2016. The General Electric Company’s venture capital subsidiary invests up to $200 million annually in U.S. and global companies.
Startups and software reporter Elise Reuter can be reached at ereuter@sdbj.com or 858-277-6971.
