Plug and Play to Launch AI Center of Excellence in San Jose

Plug and Play to Launch AI Center of Excellence in San Jose

SAN JOSE, Calif., March 4, 2025 // — Plug and Play, the ultimate innovation platform with over 60 locations around the world, is launching its San Jose location on April 2, 2025. This launch marks Plug and Play’s first AI Center of Excellence, an initiative designed to accelerate digital transformation in artificial intelligence.

With San Jose being its first AI Center of Excellence, the global company will work with Knight Foundation, PG&E, the City of San Jose, Glean, Turing, KPMG LLP, San Jose State University and U.S. Bank to connect entrepreneurs, corporate partners, and academia to foster AI innovation, literacy, and economic growth.

AI is transforming industries. Our AI Center of Excellence in San Jose will provide startups with opportunities to lead that change. Our goal is to create environments where innovation in AI can grow, and businesses can scale quickly with the support of a global network,

said Saeed Amidi, Founder and CEO of Plug and Play.

The launch next month will bring together industry leaders to discuss AI’s impact, emerging trends, and opportunities for collaboration. The invite-only event will feature insights from executives, investors, and policymakers and will highlight how Plug and Play’s AI Centers of Excellence will drive innovation and economic growth across the AI industry.

We’re excited to help bring an AI Center for Excellence into the downtown to grow the emerging AI startup cluster that already exists here,

said San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan. “Our metro area produces more AI patents per capita and has more new AI-related jobs than any other metro in the country — it just makes sense that downtown San Jose, especially with San Jose State University’s presence here, will only grow as a critical hub for the next generation of innovators.”

This initiative will also help San Jose become a leader in innovation, building on its strong track record of patents. By partnering with local businesses and educational institutions, the center will attract startups and talent, further strengthening the city’s position as a hub for innovation.

“Investing in the AI Center of Excellence will help cultivate the next wave of tech entrepreneurs in San Jose — particularly in downtown — creating jobs, fostering economic mobility and driving innovation in AI,” said Allan Madoc, San Jose Program Director at Knight Foundation.

Sustainable economic growth relies on developing a skilled workforce, with cross-collaboration ensuring local talent evolves with emerging industries.

As AI continues to reshape industries worldwide, there is an increasing demand for innovative solutions that drive growth and improve efficiency. Plug and Play’s AI Center of Excellence initiative seeks to transform regions into recognized AI leaders by establishing strategic hubs that connect local innovation with global opportunities.

Through this partnership and the creation of an AI Center of Excellence, we are going to be supporting the next generation of innovation and tapping into talent that can help us meet the energy transition needs of the future,

said Teresa Alvarado, Vice President for PG&E’s South Bay and Central Coast region.

Following the San Jose launch, Plug and Play plans to expand its AI Centers of Excellence to additional cities worldwide, with Seattle already announced as the next hub. This expansion will continue to promote innovation and facilitate global collaboration in the AI space.

Startup applications for the first program are now open. For more information about the San Jose AI Center of Excellence, details for startups interested in joining the program, or requests for office space applications, please visit: https://www.plugandplaytechcenter.com/locations/san-jose.

About Plug and Play
Plug and Play is the leading innovation platform, connecting startups, corporations, venture capital firms, universities, and government agencies. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, we’re present in 60+ locations across five continents. We offer corporate innovation programs and help our corporate partners in every stage of their innovation journey, from education to execution. We also organize startup acceleration programs and have built an in-house VC to drive innovation across multiple industries where we’ve invested in hundreds of successful companies including Dropbox, Guardant Health, Honey, Lending Club, N26, PayPal, and Rappi. For more information, visit https://www.plugandplaytechcenter.com/.

Plug and Play to Launch AI Center of Excellence in San Jose, source.

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