Russell AI Labs has officially launched as a new platform dedicated to building and backing next-generation AI and frontier technology companies. The company’s inaugural partnership is with Emergence AI, a global leader in agentic AI for enterprise applications, marking a strategic move to advance intelligent systems that can autonomously solve complex business challenges. Founded by Austin Russell, serial entrepreneur and pioneer in advanced technology, alongside industry veterans Markus Schaefer and Murtaza Ahmed, Russell AI Labs combines deep technical expertise, operational leadership, and significant capital to help innovative startups scale into global industry leaders. Schaefer, currently Chief Technology Officer and Member of the Board of Management at Mercedes-Benz Group AG, will continue in his role until later this year. Ahmed, a former Managing Director at Goldman Sachs and Partner in SoftBank’s Vision Fund, brings extensive experience in global technology investments and deal execution. Emergence AI, the first company to join Russell AI Labs, specializes in deploying networked constellations of AI agents to automate workflows and tackle complex data problems across enterprises. Its platform transforms unstructured, often inaccessible “dark” data—estimated to make up around 80% of enterprise information—into structured, intelligence-ready formats. It then uses AI agents with built-in validation and explainability to ensure decisions are accurate, transparent, and auditable, making AI deployment safe and scalable for mission-critical operations. Since its launch last year, Emergence has raised over $125 million in venture capital. As part of the partnership, Austin Russell will take on the role of Executive Chairman, helping guide the company’s growth and commercial expansion. Russell AI Labs has made a $300 million investment in Emergence, underscoring the strength of the collaboration and the shared vision to deliver enterprise-grade AI solutions at scale. The partnership aims to accelerate Emergence’s global reach, expand its platform across industries, and establish standards for how agentic AI is implemented in Fortune 500 organizations. The companies emphasize that their goal is not to replace traditional system integrators, but to solve the most time-consuming and challenging part of digital transformation: data readiness. Austin Russell described the transition from building self-driving cars at Luminar Technologies to helping automate entire enterprises as a natural evolution of his mission to apply AI to real-world complexity. Markus Schaefer highlighted the parallels between leading innovation in high-performance vehicles and now in intelligent enterprises, stressing the importance of speed, technical excellence, and execution. Murtaza Ahmed emphasized the unique model of combining strategic capital with hands-on operational support to help breakthrough companies achieve long-term success. Satya Nitta, CEO of Emergence AI, stressed that reliable AI starts with reliable data. He noted that even the most advanced reasoning systems fail if they begin with poor-quality inputs. By making enterprise data ready for AI, Emergence aims to become a foundational platform for the autonomous enterprise. Russell AI Labs is positioned to become a key player in the AI ecosystem, leveraging the founders’ track records in technology, operations, and investment to build and scale transformative companies. Emergence AI’s cutting-edge work in agentic AI, combined with Russell AI Labs’ strategic support, signals a new phase in the enterprise AI revolution.