Press Release

SHAFT Foundation and SpeechLab Inc. Unite to Solve “Agentic AI” Accessibility Issues and Drive Crypto Agent Innovation

Makoto Takahiro

Feb 7, 2025 — 2 min read

New York, February 2025 – The Strategic Hub for AI-Focused Technology and SpeechLab Inc., proudly incubated at the AI Fund, an initiative associated with industry luminary Andrew Ng, are excited to announce their strategic partnership. This collaboration aims to bridge the gap between the rapid-fire AI innovation happening in the crypto world and the deep AI research expertise needed to improve access to next-level AI products. Free, open-source AI agents centered around accessibility and new modalities will be available at the Foundation’s website.

While Andrew Ng is currently precluded from publicly endorsing this crypto-related initiative, SpeechLab’s ties to his incubator and participation as a portfolio company signify the caliber of technical talent fueling the partnership. SpeechLab’s leadership team also shared insights at major AI forums—including a keynote spot at Agentic Systems in 2024 and The Build Conference—further attesting to their standing in the AI community.

“Crypto innovators have blazed the trail by quickly prototyping AI-driven solutions,” said Argos Obsidian, Founder at the Shaft Foundation. “Yet they often lack the research-level AI resources and data infrastructure to go beyond off-the-shelf APIs. Our partnership with SpeechLab Inc. ensures that the crypto community gains not only top-tier AI models, but also a sustainable feedback loop to refine and evolve them.”

Key partnership highlights include:

Deep AI Model Customization: Moving beyond generic API integrations that crypt Agents are using now to tailor solutions for specialized crypto use cases.
Access to High-Quality Talent & Infrastructure: Leveraging SpeechLab Inc.’s research expertise, data capabilities, and GPU resources developed in part through collaborations within Andrew Ng’s broader incubator network.
Robust Incentive Structures: Combining the crypto community’s incentive mechanisms with SpeechLab’s proven strategies for user engagement to collect rich, real-time feedback.
Accelerated Development & Deployment: Harnessing advanced AI techniques to deliver prototypes, refine them quickly, and scale validated solutions.

“By tapping into the cryptoverse’s vibrant user communities, we can gather deeper insights to prioritize and build sophisticated AI models that truly solve user pain points,” said Seamus McAteer, Entrepreneur-in-Residence at AI Fund and Founder of SpeechLab Inc. “This partnership offers a dynamic ecosystem where AI researchers and crypto experts can co-create innovations that keep pace with the evolving demands of web3.”

Together, the Shaft Foundation and SpeechLab Inc. aim to raise the bar for cross-industry collaboration—fostering the development of cutting-edge AI technologies that meet the crypto community’s need for speed, customization, and strategic growth.

About SHAFT Foundation

The SHAFT Foundation is a forward-looking, community-driven hub investing in AI startups that bridge blockchain applications and real-world needs. With a mission to democratize AI, SHAFT offers a range of products and services—open-source voice agents, NLP tools, and a unique token-based governance model—while actively seeking to break down barriers for global, multilingual, and inclusive tech adoption. Learn more at: https://go.shaft.finance/shaftnews

About SpeechLab Inc

SpeechLab Inc. is an AI pioneer specializing in speech recognition, NLP, and text-to-speech systems. By championing open-source development, SpeechLab accelerates the growth of Crypto Agents and other agentic solutions, delivering impactful innovations that serve both the Web3 space and broader industries. Learn more at: https://speechlab.ai/