Meet Alchemist’s class XIV startups making everything from smart beer taps to a safer internet

Enterprise tech startups unveiled their products and pitched investors at Alchemist Accelerator’s 14th demo day in Santa Clara, Calif. today. The companies ranged from a Stanford AI labs spinout, Eloquent Labs, to the hardware-makers like Amber Agriculture and PubInno, to lots of software-as-a-service and cybersecurity developers, more like you’d expect from an incubator focused anything-but-consumer tech.

The diversity of startups in Alchemist’s latest batch indicates a sea change in enterprise tech, an the start of an era when robotics, AI and the internet of things are fundamentally changing the way that large companies get work done, from sales and physical labor to IT and data analysis.

Alchemist founder Ravi Belani tells TechCrunch the latest class is the largest his program has ever graduated, as well. The program has gained notice, in part, because its alumni racked up lots of follow-on funding in recent years. Two of the biggest deals last year included a $28 million round for nutrition-focused health tech startup, Zipongo, and a $13 million investment in delivery drone makers Matternet.

Here are the newest companies, with descriptions provided by Alchemist (edited for length). 

Amber Agriculture– Automates grain management for farmers using wireless sensors and data analytics.

Cloudastructure– Provides cloud-controlled infrastructure for enterprise, physical security using machine learning and computer vision.

Jirav– Forecasting and predictive Analytics for small business finance. Helps offices build new models in a day, integrate data sources and eliminate error-prone spreadsheets.

Shortlist– A SaaS platform for the “gig economy,” which helps companies find and manage an external workforce.

Adenda– Provides “next-generation” push notifications for Android.

Qidza– A platform that helps families screen children for autism or developmental delays at home, while enabling pediatricians to stay compliant with medical guidelines.

SupplyAI– An AI platform to help clothing retailers predict and prevent returns, avoid associated costs and improve customer experiences.

Tallyfy– An app to track and improve any workflow in real-time.

Uniquid– A platform that decentralizes identity and access management, and provides digital keys and security using the blockchain for facilities, companies or devices.

Eloquent Labs– Builds AI customer service agents, offloading conversations to AI wherever possible to free up customer support agents to handle urgent or unusual cases.

Atipica– Provides a cloud-based optimization service for applicant databases.

Cue– Makers of an intelligent, speech-enabled device that provides on-site information and services.

CryptoMove– Developing cybersecurity solutions, specifically active defense data protection.

HotSwitch– A “social TV layer” media, the company aims to keep TV audiences engaged across web, mobile and smart TV apps with realtime viewership, sentiment and engagement analytics.

Plan– Employing AI to “organize work,” helping teams finish projects, and saving employees and their managers up to 30% of their time.

Pubinno– The company’s Taptronics Smart Beer Tap helps bar managers serve the “perfect beer,” reduce waste, and keep sales, inventory and maintenance records online, employing robotics and control algorithms.

Suchflex– Aiming to become the largest data center company without owning servers.

Prodigy– A system of transaction for modernized car dealerships, Prodigy aims to increase car sales, boost sales efficiency and give customers a better experience.