Poteat discussed her company building process and fundraising efforts on TechCrunch’s Found podcast. She revealed that she had more success with firms backing ambitious projects than those focusing on women and LGBTQ+ founders. The startup, which hasn't fully launched yet, plans to expand into more government benefit verticals shortly after launch. Poteat's ultimate goal is to help anyone eligible for any government benefit have an easier time applying.
Key takeaways:
- AI startup Advocate, founded by Emilie Poteat, aims to simplify the process of applying for federal government benefits using AI and machine learning.
- Poteat believes that the government benefits sector is an ideal place to build an AI model due to the abundance of documentation, policies, and data available.
- The startup is in talks with the government about creating a third-party add-on to their existing infrastructure, and the government appears open to the idea.
- Advocate has not yet fully launched, but plans to expand into more government benefit verticals shortly after launch, with the ultimate goal of helping anyone eligible for any government benefit to apply more easily.