MIT spin-out aims to tackle $8 trillion in industrial inefficiencies with engineering-focused AI platform
A new startup out of MIT, Foundation EGI, has emerged from stealth mode with a mission to apply domain-specific artificial intelligence to one of the most complex and least-digitized sectors of the global economy: manufacturing.
The company today unveiled what it calls the first Engineering General Intelligence (EGI) platform – an AI system designed to automate and optimize every phase of product lifecycle management.
The platform is currently being piloted by several Fortune 500 manufacturers, who are exploring its potential to reduce production delays, cut waste, and drive revenue growth.
Foundation EGI’s core technology is built around a proprietary large language model tailored specifically for engineering use cases.
Unlike general-purpose LLMs, the company says its AI agents are designed to interpret messy, imprecise, or incomplete instructions from engineers and translate them into structured, codified data that can be used to automate design and manufacturing workflows.
“Engineering is primed for an AI revolution, but generic LLMs won’t cut it,” said CEO and co-founder Mok Oh.
“They lack the necessary domain-specific knowledge and often produce inaccurate results. Our platform is purpose-built to bring order and efficiency to engineering documentation and processes, helping teams become more productive and innovative.”
Co-founded by Mok Oh, MIT professor Wojciech Matusik, and researcher Michael Foshey, Foundation EGI has raised $7.6 million in seed funding from a group of investors that includes E14 Fund, Union Lab Ventures, Samsung Next, and Henry Ford III.
The oversubscribed round signals growing interest in enterprise AI applications tailored to manufacturing and industrial use.
One of the early enterprise users, Inteva Products, a global automotive supplier, sees significant value in the technology.
“It’s clear this platform will help us eliminate unnecessary costs and automate disorganized processes,” said Dennis Hodges, Inteva’s chief information officer.
“We expect greater observability, transparency, and continuity in our engineering operations.”
The company’s academic roots are also drawing attention. Foundation EGI’s approach is grounded in research led by Professor Matusik and Foshey, recently published in Large Language Models for Design and Manufacturing (March 2024).
The research explores how AI can enhance the speed, quality, and agility of engineering operations – particularly in environments with complex spatial, physical, and mechanical requirements.
Speaking at a TEDx MIT event, Professor Matusik described EGI as a technology that can translate human language into engineering logic grounded in physics and spatial reasoning.
“Expect leaps and bounds in agility, innovation and problem-solving,” he said.
Foundation EGI’s web-based platform integrates with existing design and manufacturing software tools, aiming to make adoption straightforward for engineering teams already working in CAD, PLM, and MES environments.
The company is currently accepting applications for its beta program via its website: foundationegi.com.