How to Apply for OpenAI’s $1 Million Investment Startup Program

The company that brought ChatGPT to the world has put out a call for founders with ambitious plans to build businesses around artificial intelligence. 

OpenAI is now accepting applications to apply to the second iteration of Converge, its annual investment and mentorship program for boundary-pushing A.I. startups. Companies selected for the program will receive a $1 million investment from the OpenAI Startup Fund and will take part in a six-week program at OpenAI’s Silicon Valley offices. 

Last year, OpenAI selected four companies to serve as the first Converge “cohort.” They were:

• Descript, an A.I. tool for creating and editing podcasts and videos. 
• Harvey, a chatbot and A.I. assistant for law firms and consulting companies.
• Mem, an A.I assistant that helps users brainstorm and organize information.
• Speak, an A.I.-generated language tutor that can create customized lessons. 

Through Converge, OpenAI is looking to invest in 10 to 15 companies that are planning or actively building a product that utilizes A.I. in an innovative way. The company says that  prior experience working with A.I. systems is not required and that “we’re excited to hear from founders from underrepresented backgrounds and those based outside the United States.” 

The program will run from March 11 to April 19, with a time commitment of four to six hours per week. To be considered, founders should apply online by 11:59pm PT on Friday, January 26, 2024. The application is free and asks only for a company name, a one-sentence pitch, a link to your company’s website, a list of all founders, a 30-second video pitching your idea, and an email address.