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Mar 24, 2026 12:01 PM

NEC X Selects Seven Startups for Batch 15 of Elev X! Ignite, Advancing AI in Healthcare, Governance, Space and Enterprise Operations

PALO ALTO, Calif., March 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NEC X, the Silicon Valley venture studio backed by NEC's advanced technologies and global businesses, today announced the seven startups selected for Batch 15 of its Elev X! Ignite program, a 12-month accelerator designed to help early-stage founders transform innovative ideas into seed-ready companies.

Chosen through a competitive multi-phase selection process from hundreds of applications across 34 industries, Batch 15 highlights clear emerging trends in the startup landscape. More than 70% of applicants were building B2B AI solutions focused on operational efficiency, while about 15% were developing physical AI technologies involving robotics or real-world automation. NEC X also noted growing interest in AI governance, safety and infrastructure.

Batch 15 founders will work closely with NEC X's venture studio team, engineers, advisors and business mentors to accelerate product development, validate market fit and prepare for pre-seed-stage investment.

"Across industries, founders are rethinking how complex systems operate, and AI is becoming the foundation for that transformation," said Shintaro Matsumoto, President and CEO of NEC X. "Batch 15 represents a group of entrepreneurs tackling some of the most operationally intensive challenges, from healthcare triage to satellite coordination. Through Elev X! Ignite, we're helping these teams rapidly test ideas, leverage NEC technologies and build scalable businesses ready for global impact."

Batch 15 companies are:

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