CB Insights, a world-renowned venture capital research institution, selected 100 most promising artificial intelligence start-ups from 3,000 AI companies.

Six Chinese companies appeared on the list, namely SenseTime, Yitu, 4paradigm, Megvii, Momenta, and Horizon Robotics. It is worth mentioning that five out of the six companies are from Zhongguancun, in which SenseTime and Megvii have made it to the list for two consecutive years.

In addition, Chinese unicorn companies valued at 1 billion dollars continued to keep up sound momentum. Among them, SenseTime won the top spot with an estimated value of 4.5 billion US dollars on the ranking list of financing amount, followed by Megvii.

2019 CB Insights AI 100 List is based on companies' comprehensive performance in 2018, including patent layout, investments, CB Insights' own Mosaic algorithm, market potential, media attention, partnering relationship, competitive pattern, team strength and technological novelty.

China has become the birthplace of AI unicorns

Five out of the 11 unicorn companies on the list are from China: SenseTime (valued at 4.5 billion dollars), Yitu (valued at 2.365 billion dollars), and 4paradigm (valued at 1.2 billion dollars), Megvii (valued at 1 billion dollars), Momenta (valued at 1 billion dollars).

Headquarted in America, Pony.ai (valued at 1 billion dollars) is listed as an American company, but its co-founders Peng Jun and Lou Tiancheng are from China. Therefore, China is undoubtedly the birthplace of unicorns.

The geographical distribution of the 100 AI start-ups in the world

77 Of the 100 AI startups on the list are located in the United States. The other 23 companies are from China, Israel, UK, Canada, Germany, Sweden, Japan and India.

Automated machine learning and RPA field are favored by investment

Among the top ten companies with the most capital raised, SenseTime and Megvii occupy the top two spots.

In the past, investors used to favor computer vision and autonomous driving technologies, such as SenseTime and Megvii. However, looking from the fund-raising situation last year, the most-favored field has begun to diversify.

For instance, Zymergen uses machine learning to explore anti-fraud businesses, and enter the field of AutoML. DataRobot is also engaged in automated machine learning.

Automated artificial intelligence is said to have huge commercial potential. Last year, Google Ventures invested in Machinify that assists companies to collect and converse automated data, and mabl that develops automated software testing tools.

Using AI to improve corporate workflows and improve efficiency, PRA (Robotic Processing Automation) is also welcomed by investors.

UiPath (completed a total of over 300 million dollars in Series B and C financing last year). Automation Anywhere (It obtained an investment of 300 million dollars from the Softbank Vision Fund) have both improved in terms of valuation.

The top three start-ups with the highest valuations are SenseTime (4.5 billion dollars), UiPath (3 billion dollars), and Automation Anywhere (2.6 billion dollars).

Fields of the most intensive patent application: corporate technology and medical health

The number of patents is often regarded as one indicator to evaluate a company's R&D and technical strength. Among them, the United States can be said to be the main battlefield, 62 out of the 100 companies apply for patents in the United States, totaling more than 600 applications.

From the top ten companies in the number of patent applications, the enterprise technology and medical health fields occupy the majority, while others are automobile and financial insurance.

Google Ventures is most active in investing

According to CB Insights, over 680 investment institutions funded the 100 AI companies in 2018, the most active one of which is Google Ventures, which invested in 27 companies, followed by KPCB and Data Collective. Intel Capital invested in 14 companies.

Besides, from the AI 100 list over the past three years, China is rising at an unexpected rate in the AI field. There are only four Chinese companies on the 2017 AI 100 list: iCarbonX, Ubtech, Chumenwenwen and Rokid. Seven companies have entered the list in 2018: ByteDance, SenseTime, Megvii, Cambricon, Ubtech, Chumenwenwen, Laix, and ByteDance won the first place in the annual financing amount in 2018; In 2019, six companies are included in the list: SenseTime, Yitu, Megvii, 4paradigm, Momenta , Horizon Robotics.

Anand Sanwal, founder of CB Insights, pointed out in the Emtech China Global Emerging Technology Summit jointly hosted by MIT Technology Review and DeepTech, some subtle changes are happening in the shares of China and America in the AI industry. Globally speaking, the shares of America in the AI industry are gradually declining, while the proportion of China js continuously rising.

Although the application scenarios locked by AI companies are getting verified, corporate technology, health care, and automobiles still remain as the most chosen ones.

On the 2017 AI 100 list, most companies focused on conversational AI/chatting robots, BI (Business Intelligence) and analytics, healthcare, and core AI algorithms.

By 2018, companies in the field of network security and corporate technology emerged, and health care continued to occupy a large proportion. On the 2019 AI 100 list, corporate technology has become the hottest field, followed by health care and car-related industry.

For technology is the primary productive force, technology companies represent the true strength of a country. It can be clearly seen that China has completed the role change from follower to competitor, providing golden opportunities for everyone to get involved in the new round of technological revolution.