Just five months after announcing a new $100 million fund called Anthology Fund, Menlo Ventures and Anthropic have backed their first 18 startups, with thousands of applicants vying for a spot in the program. This move marks a significant step in the partnership's mission to support innovative AI startups and accelerate the development of new applications built on top of foundational models and AI infrastructure.

The selected startups are working on a diverse range of projects, including recruiting software, autonomous coding, interpretability research, fintech compliance and tax apps, radiology image analysis and chart reviewing apps, non-human identity cybersecurity, customer engagement software, and a consumer nutrition app. Additionally, eight startups are still in stealth mode, according to Menlo Ventures.

The Anthology Fund is a unique program that combines elements of a typical corporate startup program, such as Nvidia's Inception or Microsoft for Startups, with those of an incubator. Participating startups receive not only investment but also company-building attention and resources. The fund will write checks of $100,000 or more into startups and provide them with $25,000 worth of credits for Anthropic's models.

Menlo Ventures is a major backer of Anthropic, and this fund is a strategic move to position both companies at the forefront of the next big thing in AI, expected to emerge in 2025. The focus is shifting beyond foundational models and AI infrastructure and into the development of new apps that run on top of them. "We're one of the biggest investors in Anthropic and huge fans of what they're doing," Menlo Ventures partner Tim Tully said in July when the program launched. "We thought this was an opportunity for us to do something together, where we can see the ecosystem and find great companies that are building on Anthropic or AI more broadly."

The partnership between Menlo Ventures and Anthropic is a significant one, with the potential to drive innovation and growth in the AI startup ecosystem. By providing resources and support to early-stage companies, the Anthology Fund is well-positioned to play a key role in shaping the future of AI applications. As the program continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see the impact of these investments on the broader tech industry.

With thousands of applicants vying for a spot in the program, the selection of these 18 startups is a testament to the competitive nature of the AI startup landscape. As the fund continues to grow and evolve, it will be important to track its progress and the impact of its investments on the industry as a whole. One thing is clear, however: the partnership between Menlo Ventures and Anthropic is a significant development in the AI startup ecosystem, with the potential to drive innovation and growth in the years to come.