In the realm of artificial intelligence, the quality of data used by large language models (LLMs) is paramount. However, preparing this data has long been a daunting challenge for many companies, presenting a golden opportunity for innovative entrepreneurs.
Enter Illumex, a dynamic Israeli startup founded just two years ago by the former VP of AI at Sisense. This forward-thinking company is harnessing the power of generative AI (GenAI) to streamline data preparation for LLMs. Today, Illumex proudly announced a $13 million investment, marking a significant milestone in its growth.
Inna Tokarev-Sela, the visionary founder and CEO of Illumex, identified this data readiness problem years ago. She established Illumex with a clear mission: to simplify the organization of data through automation.
“We automatically associate the business logic of an organization, mapping it to data, and we bring relevant data to the questions business users have,” Tokarev-Sela explained in an interview with TechCrunch.
Pioneering Technology for Data Fabrication
Illumex employs a blend of cutting-edge technologies to achieve its goals, including generative AI, graph databases, and relational databases. By integrating these technologies, Illumex creates what Tokarev-Sela describes as a data fabric. This sophisticated framework allows companies to easily access and utilize data for training LLMs and other applications.
Tokarev-Sela envisions Illumex as a crucial part of the AI workflow continuum. The company’s solutions not only prepare data for models but also facilitate the development and deployment of applications, ultimately making it easier for end-users to interact with and extract value from the data.
“We connect to all systems—business applications, databases, warehouses, data lakes, CRM, support systems, SAP enterprise financial systems, and more. This comprehensive coverage enables us to provide a detailed inventory of an organization’s entire data landscape,” Tokarev-Sela noted.
Seamless Integration and Advanced Semantics
Illumex’s innovative approach involves creating a knowledge graph that tightly couples data description, logic, and workflow. This enables customers to understand the semantics of their data comprehensively.
“We semantify the entire data stack, deploying generative AI with high accuracy, precision, and context awareness,” Tokarev-Sela said.
Moreover, Illumex integrates seamlessly with existing enterprise communication tools like Teams, Slack, and Google Meet. This ensures that users can continue working within familiar environments, reducing the learning curve and boosting adoption.
Supporting Diversity and Growth
Illumex’s platform is already being utilized by highly regulated sectors such as financial services and pharmaceuticals. With a team of 30 employees, the company is set to expand further, fueled by the new influx of capital.
As a female founder, Tokarev-Sela is committed to fostering a parent-friendly workplace and proudly reports that Illumex is a female-majority company. “We walk the walk when it comes to diversity,” she affirmed.
Strategic Investment and Future Prospects
The $13 million investment round was led by Cardumen Capital, Amdocs Ventures, and Samsung Ventures, with contributions from ICI Fund, Jibe Ventures, Iron Nation Fund, Ginnosar Ventures, Icon Fund, Today Ventures, and several industry angels.
With this robust financial backing, Illumex is poised to revolutionize data preparation for LLMs, driving efficiency and innovation across various industries.
In summary, Illumex is not just addressing a critical challenge in AI but is also setting new standards in data management, technological integration, and workplace diversity. Keep an eye on this trailblazing startup as it continues to make significant strides in the AI landscape.
