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One year Retrospective: Insights from a Growing Startup

 

1 year anniversary image

 

Introduction: Celebrating One Year of Innovation

As the sun sets on another remarkable year, we at Xpdeep pause to reflect on the extraordinary journey we've embarked on since our inception.

"One year ago today, Ahlame Douzal and myself were registering our company, Xpdeep. We embarked on a mission to make our self-explainable deep learning framework available to private and public organizations worldwide, and benefits from its extraordinary impacts."
photo of stanislas chesnais
Stanislas Chesnais, CEO of Xpdeep

With hearts full of gratitude and minds brimming with inspiration, we invite you to join us as we revisit the milestones, challenges, and triumphs that have shaped our first year.

 

Origins and Foundation

Our story begins in the hallowed halls of the UGA-LIG lab in Grenoble, where a vision took root and blossomed into reality. With unwavering support from esteemed organizations like Université Grenoble Alpes, Linksium, and Bpifrance, we set out to revolutionize the world of artificial intelligence. The seeds of innovation planted during our years of research would soon bear fruit, as we laid the groundwork for what would become Xpdeep.

 

From Lab Tech to Industrial Solution

A vision takes root

Our story began in 2018, when Ahlame Douzal worked on a project for a major hospital in France. Designing a deep learning model to predict the aggressiveness of prostate cancer, Ahlame encountered a common challenge: although her solution outperformed other methods, clinicians refused to adopt it due to its opaque decision-making processes.

This pivotal moment sparked a new challenge for Ahlame and her team: to design deep models that are high-performance, low-complexity, and explainable to both experts and non-experts alike.

The Birth of Xpdeep

Fast forward to 2023, and Xpdeep was born from this vision of transparency and trust in AI. With the support of key partners such as Université Grenoble Alpes (UGA), Linksium, and the Laboratoire d'Informatique de Grenoble (LIG), Ahlame's vision took flight.

Drawing upon years of research and expertise, the team at Xpdeep embarked on a mission to bridge the gap between AI innovation and industrial application. Fuelled by a sense of urgency and impatience to create lasting impact, we embraced every aspect of the startup journey with fervor. From maturation to market introduction, we tackled each step all at once with determination and tenacity, laying the groundwork for what would become a transformative force in the AI landscape.

 

Growing Our Family

For 5 years, there were 1 researcher and 2 juniors working in secret in a lab.

In just one year, Xpdeep has blossomed from a fledgling startup into a thriving community of innovators, united by a shared mission and vision. Guided by our core values of collaboration, transparency, and integrity, we've cultivated an atmosphere that fosters both hard work and fun. Our Today, our vibrant team has grown to over 15 members. We boast a dynamic commercial team and a robust development crew. 

Together, we've weathered challenges, celebrated victories, and forged bonds that will endure for years to come.

 

Learning and Adapting with the Community

Central to our success has been our commitment to listening, learning, and adapting to the needs of our community.

Listening, because it enables us to understand the unique perspectives, challenges, and aspirations of our users and customers.

By actively engaging with their feedback, suggestions, and concerns, we ensure that our solutions are finely tuned to meet their evolving needs.

Learning, because we recognize that knowledge is the key to growth and improvement.

We understand that we can't be experts in all areas where deep learning is applied.

Through continuous education, exploration, and experimentation, we strive to stay ahead of the curve and push the boundaries of innovation in AI.

Adapting, because we understand that flexibility and agility are essential in a rapidly changing landscape.

By remaining open to change, iteration, and refinement, we can quickly respond to emerging trends, market demands, and user preferences. Most importantly, we can turn back and aknowledge our mistakes.

From HubFrance IA to Confiance AI, we've found allies who share our vision of a transparent and trustworthy AI landscape. Their guidance, encouragement, and invaluable insights have been the wind beneath our wings, propelling us ever closer to our goals.

Through active participation in conferences, expos, and industry events, we've gained invaluable insights into the struggles and challenges faced by our customers. This ongoing dialogue has not only informed our product development but also strengthened our resolve to create solutions that empower and inspire. As we look to the future, we remain dedicated to fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation, where every voice is heard, and every idea is valued.

 

Future Goals and Objectives

As we gaze into the future, our vision for Xpdeep extends far beyond our current achievements. While we've made remarkable strides in developing our self-explainable deep learning framework, we recognize that we've only scratched the surface of its potential.

We believe that we may not even be able to imagine half of the features and capabilities that could emerge from our innovative technology.

Our commitment to innovation and excellence drives us to continually explore new horizons, push the boundaries of what's possible, and challenge conventional thinking. We're excited about the prospect of further refining and enhancing our framework to address emerging needs, tackle complex challenges, and empower our users in ways we've yet to envision.

 

Conclusion: A Bright Future for Xpdeep

As the curtain falls on our first year, we stand on the threshold of a new chapter, filled with promise and potential. Together, we've overcome obstacles, celebrated victories, and forged bonds that will withstand the test of time. With hearts full of gratitude and eyes fixed firmly on the horizon, we march boldly into the future, confident in our ability to shape the world of AI for the better.

Thank you to our incredible team, partners, and everyone who's been a part of this remarkable journey. The best is yet to come!