Bengaluru-based Microsoft Accelerator has selected 14 startups for its startup accelerator programme. It is the tenth batch for Microsoft's Accelerator Programme. Selected startups belong to the realm of AI and machine learning and will undergo an intensive programme to increase their'enterprise readiness quotient.' The cohort has been selected from VC portfolios – including Inventus Capital Partners, Ideaspring Capital, Accel Partners, IDG Ventures and Pi Ventures, based on their nominations. They were selected based upon founder experience and industry expertise, products, and traction, as per an official statement.

Here, Sundeep Sanghavi, Co-founder and CEO of Data RPM, a graduate of our Seattle Machine Learning Accelerator, explores six exciting new trends that will make you look at data science and machine learning with fresh eyes. As we embark on 2017, the exciting potential of data science and machine learning is just waiting to be unleashed in ways that will benefit people, businesses and economies across the world. Here are six of the key trends that will shape the development of this incredible technology this year. For those that aren't au fait with the term, Machine Learning (ML) is a subfield of computer science that sees computers (and other devices) gifted with the ability to learn things without explicit programming. This year, we will see Automated ML dominate the data science industry.

Our Seattle Accelerator's third batch taught us a thing or two about the machine learning and data science space. Now, as we kick-off our fourth batch, we're excited to put those learnings and insights to use to help the next generation of machine learning and data science startups. Over the past four months, we've traveled North America, talked to more than a dozen VCs and investors, sifted through hundreds of applications, and consulted our mentors and startup alumni in search of high-caliber, mature startups that are ready to scale up their businesses through enterprise customer access. As a result of these efforts, we've selected 10 later-stage startups to join our Machine Learning Accelerator in Seattle. Collectively, the chosen startups have received 5.3M in average funding with 3M average annual recurring revenue.

TechCrunch is pleased to bring you Microsoft Accelerator's Machine Learning Demo Day this Thursday, June 2 from the Showbox SoDo in Seattle. The Microsoft Accelerator is an immersive three- to six-month program aimed at helping entrepreneurs get through the challenges of building a company, finding customers and scaling to global markets. There are seven accelerators located around the world, from Bangalore to Beijing, from Berlin to Tel-Aviv. While most of their programs have a focus on enterprise startups, this demo day in Seattle is for companies specifically leveraging machine learning. Investors and press will hear pitches from nine companies solving problems ranging from natural gas pipelines to on-demand medicine.