AI Solutions for Applications, Training and Compliance Win ISG Startup Challenges

Audiences vote Delos, TeamLift and Iridius top tech pitches at ISG events in Paris, New York and London

STAMFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AI-powered solutions for centralizing applications, delivering personalized AI training and embedding regulatory compliance won the ISG Startup Challenges at recent events in Paris, New York and London hosted by Information Services Group (ISG) (Nasdaq: III), a global AI-centered technology research and advisory firm.

ISG Startup Challenges feature entrepreneurs behind innovative solutions who deliver pitches on how their technology will add the most value to a business or community. Event judges question the presenters, and audience members vote for the technology they are more likely to implement within their own organizations.

Pierre de la Grand’rive, CEO of Delos, was voted the winner of the ISG Startup Challenge at the ISG AI Impact Summit, December 8–9 in Paris. He pitched his solution for centralizing essential applications and innovations into one secure, intuitive workspace against Alex Kpenou, CEO of Better People, which helps organizations integrate generative AI into their daily operations; Stephane Sinobad, president and co-founder of HeyJo, a specialized AI agent for the photovoltaic industry, and Sacha Uzan, head of growth at Linkup, an API that enables developers to ground their applications with fresh information from the internet.

“ISG Research predicts low-quality data and lack of governance will hinder enterprise agentic AI adoption in 2026,” said Karen Healy, partner and global leader of ISG Events. “The entrepreneurs who participated in our fall 2025 ISG Startup Challenges presented cutting-edge solutions for the biggest obstacles to achieving meaningful results from AI.”

At the ISG AI Impact Summit, November 17–18 in New York, audience members selected TeamLift, a training and assessment company that embeds personalized AI training directly into workflows, pitched by founder and CEO Boz Vitanova. Jamison Rotz, CEO of Nearly Human, also pitched his enterprise AI software company, which transforms the workplace by integrating generative AI with human expertise, and Urvashi Batra, cofounder and CEO of Prioriwise, pitched her company’s AI-powered customer success engine for mid-sized IT service providers.

“AI use cases continue to proliferate, but enterprises are struggling to scale their pilots and validate business benefits,” Healy said. “Our ISG Startup Challenges gave participants a unique opportunity to meet, preview and interact with partners that can help them jump-start metrics, redesign workflows, train employees and ensure compliance.”

Mike Kropp, CEO of Iridius, an AI product that embeds regulatory compliance into every solution, won the ISG Startup Challenge at the ISG AI Impact Summit, September 10–11 at the Park Plaza Victoria in London. He pitched his solution against Taha Dar, founder and CEO of SearchSmartly, which uses AI to power real estate property searches; Sandy Hardikar, CEO and co-founder of Network Science, an AI and deep tech innovation platform that fosters co-creation with global enterprises; and Cien Solon, founder of LaunchLemonade, a platform that helps creators build intelligent AI agents without writing code.

About ISG

ISG (Nasdaq: III) is a global AI-centered technology research and advisory firm. A trusted partner to more than 900 clients, including 75 of the world’s top 100 enterprises, ISG is a long-time leader in technology and business services that is now at the forefront of leveraging AI to help organizations achieve operational excellence and faster growth. The firm, founded in 2006, is known for its proprietary market data, in-depth knowledge of provider ecosystems, and the expertise of its 1,600 professionals worldwide working together to help clients maximize the value of their technology investments.