Missouri isn’t typically the first state that comes to mind when thinking about tech startups, but Issac Hicks is trying to change that. A graduate of the University of Missouri Science & Technology and current resident of St. Louis, MO, Mr. Hicks is one of the founders of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) company, Autonomi.
Revolutionizing AI Solutions
Autonomi designs and builds custom software solutions that help mid-market companies scale to an enterprise level. What makes this special? They offer their clients the option of paying significantly less money in exchange for the firm retaining rights to the Intellectual Property (IP) of the solution, so that they (Autonomi) can resell the same solution to other incumbents of the same industry. This leads to their clients paying less money and Autonomi yielding greater profits since they start as a service company and scale as a product company. The flagship product of Autonomi is an Intelligent Document Processor (IDP) called Doxci that is designed to automate corporate documentation and effectively “put paperwork on autopilot.”
Success in Pitch Competitions
Mr. Hicks entered Doxci into a pitch competition called Startup Showdown – Nashville, where he beat over 300 other companies and came in first place to win $120,000 from VC firm Panoramic Ventures. After the success in Nashville, Mr. Hicks was featured on national television in an episode of Entrepreneur Elevator Pitch where he successfully secured a $225,000 investment from the co-founder and former CEO of Netflix, Marc Randolph. The episode currently has over a million views on YouTube.
Expanding Horizons with Global Partnerships
Despite the growing success of Doxci, the focus on progressing Autonomi as a whole has not been lost. A recent blog post from the Autonomi website announced that the firm has partnered with H.E. Dr. Princess Asie Ocansey, of the royal Ocansey family in Ghana, and her company Nekotech Center of Excellence, to help facilitate the enrollment of over 100,000 African undergraduates into various graduate school programs in the United States. Autonomi will be responsible for building all of the AI-enabled digital infrastructure to help qualify students, assist them in selecting their master’s degree and corresponding university, expedite their loan/scholarship applications, and streamline the travel logistics of their relocation to America.
“Africa has a huge potential to change its fortunes by taking advantage of this educational opportunity,” Dr. Princess Ocansey said. Thanks to endorsements from several African presidents, and financial institutions such as Prodigy Finance, the joint-venture between Autonomi and Nekotech has secured over $1bn in committed funds to function as non-collateralized tuition loans for eligible students from Africa. A bold statement of progress for Missouri, that has, up to this point, been an afterthought when it comes to technology.
Missouri’s Rise in the Tech Scene
Could the Midwest be the next Silicon Valley? Missouri’s burgeoning tech scene, led by innovators like Issac Hicks, is certainly making a case for it. The state has historically been overshadowed by coastal tech hubs, but the success of companies like Autonomi is beginning to shift perceptions. The collaboration with Nekotech is just one example of how Missouri-based startups are making an impact on a global scale.
The Vision for Africa’s Future
The partnership between Autonomi and Nekotech, known as Nekotech AI, aims to revolutionize education and employment opportunities for African students. The program, called the Africa-US Presidential Forum on STEM/AI, has been in an ongoing pilot phase for the last five years and is finally ready for mass rollout. This program will not only provide better education but also significantly increase income earning potential for African graduates.
Upon graduation, students will work in America for three years to help pay off their tuition loans before returning to Africa, where they will dramatically raise the value of the continent’s domestic labor force. Given that this is primarily a STEM/AI initiative, students can expect to earn $60,000 – $250,000 per year while working in America, figures previously considered impossible for the average African. There are already success stories of real students who have completed the program during the pilot phase and begun working in America.
“Africa has a huge potential to change its fortunes by taking advantage of this STEM educational opportunity,” Princess Ocansey noted. The opportunity is indeed massive: of the 1.4 billion Africans, less than 39,000 students are studying in the United States, whereas South Korea, with a population of 51 million, has over 40,000 students in the U.S. Furthermore, India went on a similar route of educating their youth in STEM programs, resulting in over $85 billion in remittances every year, compared to Africa’s $46 billion.
Autonomi for Africa
This initiative is just the beginning. The Nekotech AI venture is only Phase 1 of Autonomi’s new 10-year initiative called “Autonomi for Africa.” Autonomi has been selected to speak at this year’s Global Entrepreneurship Festival (GEF) in Nigeria this November, where they will reveal more details about the project roadmap and upcoming contributions to Africa. The president of Nigeria will be in attendance, ensuring a truly remarkable announcement.
Conclusion
Issac Hicks and his company, Autonomi, are not just making strides in the tech industry; they are setting a precedent for Missouri’s potential as a burgeoning tech hub. By partnering with global leaders and creating impactful programs, they are demonstrating that innovation can thrive anywhere, even in places that might not traditionally be seen as tech epicenters. Missouri’s tech future looks bright, and with visionaries like Hicks at the helm, it’s well-positioned to make a lasting mark on the global stage.
About Autonomi
Autonomi is an Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotic Process Automation (RPA) company specializing in custom-tailored software solutions that help organizations scale to an enterprise level. For more information about Autonomi’s cutting-edge technology, visit www.getautonomi.com
