Last December, OpenAI stirred excitement by opening applications for the second cohort of its Converge startup accelerator program, a six-week initiative launched in 2022. But what followed was unexpected—complete silence. Despite the buzz surrounding the announcement, details about the program, aptly named Converge 2, remained elusive, leaving many to wonder if it ever actually took place.
However, according to two sources familiar with the situation, Converge 2 did indeed happen, and confirmed that startups from this mysterious cohort received funding from the OpenAI Startup Fund. Yet, the program’s secrecy is an unusual departure from the tech industry’s norm, where accelerator programs typically celebrate their startups with public fanfare.
In most cases, once an accelerator invests in a startup, it has every reason to bolster that company’s chances of success by publicly endorsing it. But Converge 2 has been an odd exception. For months, a well-known tech forum buzzed with speculation about whether the program had actually occurred. Applicants and onlookers alike were left in the dark—no announcements, no rejections, nothing. Even in the well-connected circles of Silicon Valley, whispers about Converge 2 were strangely absent.
This was particularly puzzling given how OpenAI handled its first program, Converge I, in early 2023. The inaugural cohort followed the typical accelerator playbook: a call for applications followed by a public announcement of its first four investments from the OpenAI Startup Fund. In December 2023, OpenAI again invited applications, this time for Converge 2, with the program slated to begin in March 2024 and conclude by April.
But after that, the trail went cold. No press releases, no social media posts, no celebratory blog entries—just silence. Even after numerous requests for comment, OpenAI remained tight-lipped, refusing to confirm or deny that Converge 2 had taken place. This lack of communication led to widespread speculation online, with founders and investors alike left wondering what had happened.
So why the secrecy? Those close to the program aren’t saying much. Could it be that the program participants are bound by stringent NDAs? Is there a culture of silence within OpenAI that extends to its partners? While Converge 1 maintained a relatively low profile, with companies like Cursor.AI being revealed only gradually, Converge 2 has taken this discretion to a new level.
The heightened attention on OpenAI in 2024 adds another layer of intrigue. As the company reportedly seeks to raise a new funding round that could value it at $100 billion, the spotlight on its activities has intensified. Notably, between Converge 1 and 2, there was a significant change at the OpenAI Startup Fund: Sam Altman was replaced as its owner by another venture capitalist, Ian Hathaway. Despite this leadership shift, the fund has continued its investment activities, with PitchBook data showing recent investments in companies like AI chatbot Heeyo, wellness startup Thrive AI Health, AI chatbot New Computer, and Ambience Healthcare, which offers an AI assistant for healthcare organizations.
Interestingly, a source hinted that at least two of these companies participated in a Converge program, though they declined to specify which one, citing concerns about OpenAI’s reaction.
When it comes to what actually transpires within the Converge program, details are even scarcer. One insider mentioned that the primary benefit is access to OpenAI’s researchers and unreleased model technology. This suggests that participating startups may indeed be under heavy NDAs, a tool OpenAI is known to employ rigorously, as recently reported by Vox.
In the end, the mystery surrounding Converge 2 only adds to the allure and mystique of OpenAI itself. While the lack of transparency is frustrating for some, it may also be a strategic move to maintain an air of exclusivity and protect the cutting-edge technologies being developed within its walls. For now, the full story behind Converge 2 remains shrouded in mystery, leaving the tech world to speculate on what really happened behind closed doors.
