Hello students and recent graduates!

We are excited to announe our first inhouseday of 2024-2025. This Friday, there is an exciting opportunity to meet the founders of an AI startup. They build integrated AI systems, built a WhatsApp ChatGPT integration, and their current focus is a full-stack AI translation product similar to DeepL. The founders will share their journey and compare the highs and lows of corporate giants versus their current startup. They’ll keep it casual. A brief talk, some cool demonstrations, followed by an open Q&A. Sign up through the Weeztix links if you want to join. Hope to see you there!

📍 Where: Oudegracht aan de Werf 265, Utrecht
🗓 When: Friday 18 of April, 14:45

💻 https://backlight.ai/

💼 Signup: https://eventix.shop/djswe8s6

Here is a letter from the co-founder:

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📝 “Dear student,

I’m Piet from Backlight. Right now, you’re probably deep in confusion matrices, debating between random forests and XGBoost to maximize your F1 score. I used to love to do this as well.

But when I joined a large insurance company, my data science expertise quickly took a backseat to compliance tasks, stakeholder meetings, and endless PowerPoint presentations. Despite valuable learning experiences, I really wanted more technical challenges, especially as the AI field evolved rapidly.

Seeking something more fulfilling, I explored entrepreneurship. With just two months of savings (and moving into my parents’ house as a backup plan), my friend Robbe (an experienced developer and entrepreneur) and I launched Backlight. We’ve never looked back.

The work is incredible. We build integrated AI systems for companies in a market where, despite all the buzz, truly capable agencies are rare in the Netherlands. Our portfolio includes a confidential project for a high-ranking politician, a WhatsApp ChatGPT integration (which spectacularly failed), and our current focus: a full-stack AI translation product similar to DeepL.

You can also take a look at our website for some more information.

We’re constantly creating demos and solving unique problems across diverse industries. This is where we can help you! You’re likely weighing career options: academia, consulting, corporate life, or startups?

Robbe and I would love to share our journey and compare the highs and lows of corporate giants versus our nimble startup. We’ll keep it casual. A brief talk, some cool demonstrations, followed by an open Q&A. Hope to see you there!

— Piet”