Capital One and UVA Engineering have launched a transformative $4.5 million AI partnership, accelerating research and developing future talent. This collaboration establishes the Capital One AI Research Neighborhood and Ph.D. Fellowship Awards, strategically advancing AI education and innovation within financial technology.
Creating a Hub for AI Innovation
The partnership includes a strategic $2 million investment from Capital One to create the AI Research Neighborhood within UVA Engineering’s future Whitehead Road Engineering Academic Building. The University will match this investment with an additional $2 million, bringing the total facility investment to $4 million.
The Capital One AI Research Neighborhood will span approximately 31,000 square feet, serving as the epicenter of AI research at UVA. This space will bring together more than 50 AI researchers from UVA Engineering and enable collaboration with faculty across the university.
Research focus areas include:
- Machine learning and data analytics
- Behavioral design systems
- Cyber systems security
- Model-based systems engineering
“This transformative gift from Capital One is an investment in advancing the frontiers of artificial intelligence research as well as preparing the next generation of engineering leaders,” said Jennifer L. West, Dean of UVA Engineering.
Tackling Real-World AI Challenges
Researchers in the new facility will address complex industry challenges at the cutting edge of AI development. The partnership focuses on practical applications that solve real-world problems, including:
Scaling AI systems for enterprise applications across multiple industries and use cases.
Orchestrating complex data management at scale to handle massive datasets efficiently.
Advancing real-time experiences through state-of-the-art AI technologies that respond instantly to user needs.
Dr. Prem Natarajan, Executive Vice President and Chief Scientist at Capital One, emphasized the collaboration’s impact: “This partnership underscores our shared commitment to drive innovations in data and AI technologies to deliver value to people in all spheres of their lives.”
Developing Tomorrow’s AI Leaders
In addition to facility investment, the partnership allocates $500,000 to establish the Capital One Ph.D. Fellowship Awards program. This initiative will provide annual support to Ph.D. students conducting frontier AI research at UVA Engineering, creating a vital talent pipeline for the AI workforce. Todd Kennedy, Executive Vice President at Capital One and UVA Engineering Board Member, expressed his excitement for the two organizations to “come together and help pave the way to thoughtfully shape the future of AI in academia, industry, and society more broadly.”
A Foundation Built on Excellence
With over three decades of AI research experience, UVA Engineering is a leader in applying artificial intelligence to solve challenges in healthcare, transportation, finance, and energy. The school’s new Whitehead Road Engineering Academic Building will further expand its research capabilities, housing over 50 faculty researchers in four innovative research neighborhoods. This state-of-the-art facility will support UVA’s continued growth in student enrollment and research activity, fostering unprecedented opportunities for collaborative discovery.
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