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Unlocking the Power of Custom LLMs for Business: Meet Tennr

Ksenia Yevtushenko -

In a world driven by data and automation, harnessing the potential of large language models (LLMs) has become paramount for businesses across various industries. However, for non-technical teams, the prospect of creating and deploying these models can be daunting. Enter Tennr, a startup founded in 2021, with a mission to bridge the gap between advanced LLMs and businesses without a strong technical background. In this article, we'll dive deep into the world of Tennr, exploring its founders, company launches, and how it's simplifying the adoption of custom LLMs for businesses.

Who Are the Visionaries Behind Tennr?

Before we delve into Tennr's groundbreaking platform, it's essential to meet the masterminds who sparked this innovation. Tennr was co-founded by three individuals, each bringing their unique expertise and experiences to the table.

Trey Holterman: The All-American Rower Turned Tech Wizard

  • Former All-American rower
  • Computer science major
  • TA (Teaching Assistant) before becoming a Software Engineer at Strava
  • Stand-up comedian (pre-startup)

Diego Baugh: The Designer with a Passion for Patterns

  • Proficient in building innovative solutions during undergrad
  • A knack for design and pattern recognition
  • Believes software should be user-friendly
  • Former collegiate rower now residing in NYC

Tyler Johnson: The Dedicated Midwesterner and CTO

  • Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer at Tennr
  • Met Trey and Diego while studying at Stanford
  • Background in technical consulting
  • Proud Midwesterner with a love for dogs

These three visionaries crossed paths at Stanford University, where their unique backgrounds in computer science, design, and technical consulting converged. Their shared passion for technology and a common goal to simplify complex processes laid the foundation for Tennr's inception.

What Is Tennr's Mission?

Tennr, with its motto "Custom LLMs for Business," aims to revolutionize the way businesses integrate advanced language models into their operations. Founded in 2021, the company consists of a compact team of three passionate individuals who believe that technology should empower, not intimidate.

Company Launches: Tennr's Path to Simplifying LLM Adoption

Tennr's journey began with a clear mission: to democratize access to custom LLMs. Let's explore how Tennr is making this vision a reality.

Tennr – Custom Large Language Models without Engineering

Tennr's flagship product, "Custom Large Language Models without Engineering," is designed to bridge the gap between businesses and the power of language models. This platform allows non-technical teams to effortlessly build, launch, and monitor advanced custom LLMs to enhance their product or streamline their workflows.

Bringing Custom LLMs into Your Business

One of the primary challenges businesses face today is the choice between using simple, pre-built AI solutions like ChatGPT or investing heavily in building their own custom models with in-house machine learning (ML) teams. Developing an LLM from scratch entails several daunting tasks:

  • Finding high-quality and expansive data
  • Creating thousands of prompt-response pairs
  • Implementing Reinforcement Learning from Human Feedback (RLHF) to improve model outputs
  • Managing and hosting GPUs for model training
  • Building a comprehensive analytics system to monitor LLM performance

For many companies, these tasks represent a significant time and resource investment. Additionally, there is no guarantee of achieving a well-performing LLM after months of development. Tennr recognized this dilemma and set out to provide a solution.

Tennr's Innovative Solution

Tennr's groundbreaking platform addresses the challenges of LLM development and deployment by providing an accessible and user-friendly solution that doesn't require extensive engineering support.

How Does Tennr Work?

Tennr employs proprietary techniques that transform a company's document set into clean and structured data suitable for training an LLM. Leveraging open-source foundational models, Tennr then automatically fine-tunes the model to meet the specific requirements of the business. Here's a breakdown of how Tennr simplifies the process:

Data Transformation

Tennr's proprietary techniques clean and structure your company's data to make it suitable for training an LLM. This crucial step ensures that the model is fed with relevant and high-quality information.

Fine-Tuning for Your Ideal Use-Case

Tennr takes care of the technical complexities by automatically fine-tuning the model to support your specific use-case. Whether it's natural language understanding, text generation, or any other application, Tennr tailors the LLM to your needs.

User-Friendly Interface

One of Tennr's key strengths is its user-friendly interface, which empowers non-technical team members to interact with the LLM. Users can improve responses, make corrections, and monitor the model's performance without requiring a deep understanding of machine learning.

Ensuring Security and Confidentiality

Tennr understands the importance of business secrets and data security. The platform is designed to keep your proprietary information secure while leveraging the power of LLMs.

Why Tennr Matters: Transforming Businesses with Custom LLMs

Tennr's approach to custom LLMs has far-reaching implications for businesses across diverse sectors. Here's why Tennr matters and how it's transforming the landscape:

Democratizing LLM Adoption

Tennr removes the technical barriers, making it possible for businesses of all sizes and backgrounds to leverage the power of advanced language models. This democratization opens up new possibilities for innovation and efficiency.

Accelerating Time-to-Market

With Tennr, businesses can significantly reduce the time it takes to develop and deploy custom LLMs. This means faster access to insights, automation, and improved customer experiences.

Empowering Non-Technical Teams

Tennr empowers non-technical team members to take control of LLM development and usage. This reduces the burden on engineering and IT teams, allowing them to focus on core functionalities.

Enhancing Customer Interactions

Custom LLMs built with Tennr can transform customer interactions. From chatbots that provide intelligent responses to personalized recommendations, businesses can elevate their customer experiences to new heights.

Keeping Data Secure

Tennr's commitment to data security ensures that businesses can confidently integrate LLMs without compromising sensitive information. This is particularly vital in industries where data confidentiality is paramount.

Tennr Secures $37 Million Series B Funding for Expansion in Healthcare

Tennr has reached a major milestone by raising $37 million in a Series B funding round led by Lightspeed Ventures, with participation from existing investors Andreessen Horowitz and Foundation Capital. This funding, secured just nine months after a successful $18 million Series A round, underscores Tennr's rapid growth and its transformative potential in the healthcare industry. Tennr’s proprietary machine learning technologies address one of healthcare's most persistent challenges: the inefficiencies in managing referrals from primary care to specialists. By automating the extraction and processing of data from diverse and often unstructured formats, such as emails and faxes, Tennr reduces administrative burdens and dramatically shortens patient wait times. The company's tools have already facilitated tens of millions of referrals, enabling patients to secure specialist appointments in hours rather than weeks.

This new funding will fuel Tennr’s ambitious growth strategy, which includes doubling its workforce over the next six to eight months and investing in further advancements to its platform, such as enhanced processing of complex healthcare codes. Tennr’s CEO, Trey Holterman, emphasized the importance of scaling the company’s operations to meet the rising demand for their solutions, describing the current phase as an opportunity to "step on the gas." Early adopters of Tennr’s technology, like Total Medical Supply in Texas, have praised its transformative impact on workflows and patient outcomes. With a total of $61 million raised since its launch in 2021, Tennr is poised to expand its influence across the U.S. healthcare sector, offering providers and patients alike faster, more efficient access to care.

What Lies Ahead: Tennr's Vision for the Future

Tennr's journey is just beginning, and the startup has ambitious plans for the future. The founders are committed to ongoing innovation and expansion, aiming to make advanced language models accessible to an even broader range of businesses.

Expanding Industry Applications

Tennr plans to broaden its reach across various industries, including healthcare, finance, e-commerce, and more. By tailoring LLMs to specific sector needs, the startup intends to create even more value for its customers.

Collaborations and Partnerships

The founders of Tennr are open to collaborations and partnerships that can further enhance the capabilities of their platform. They see potential in working with domain experts and industry leaders to drive innovation.

User Feedback-Driven Development

Tennr values user feedback and plans to continuously improve its platform based on user suggestions and needs. This customer-centric approach ensures that Tennr remains at the forefront of LLM technology.

Educational Initiatives

In line with their mission to empower non-technical individuals, Tennr is exploring educational initiatives. These programs aim to equip more people with the skills to leverage LLMs effectively.

Conclusion: Tennr's Game-Changing Approach to LLMs

Tennr's journey from inception in 2021 to its current status as a transformative force in the world of custom LLMs is a testament to the power of innovation and a commitment to simplifying complex technologies. By providing businesses with an accessible platform to harness the capabilities of advanced language models, Tennr is not only democratizing AI but also opening up a world of possibilities for businesses to thrive in the data-driven future.

As we move forward into an era where language models play a central role in automating and enhancing various aspects of business operations, Tennr stands as a beacon of hope, ensuring that no business is left behind in the race to embrace AI-powered solutions. With its user-friendly interface, data security measures, and dedication to customer empowerment, Tennr is set to shape the future of LLM adoption, one innovative solution at a time.