Hupside, the Original Intelligence platform company dedicated to helping organizations identify, measure, and scale human originality in an AI-driven world, announced the successful closure of a $1.7 million pre-seed funding round. Ruxton Ventures led the round, with additional participation from strategic angel investors. This milestone coincides with the public launch of Hupchecker, a first-of-its-kind, research-backed platform that assesses Original Intelligence and highlights individuals and teams prepared to collaborate with and optimize AI tools.
“AI alone doesn’t transform companies people do,” said Jonathan Aberman, Co-Founder and CEO of Hupside. “Hupchecker provides an objective, data-driven way to identify individuals who can collaborate effectively with AI and think beyond the obvious.”
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As generative AI adoption grows in the workplace, many organizations face a critical challenge: only around 5% of AI implementations deliver measurable ROI. This shortfall often stems from the inability to pinpoint employees who are truly ready to leverage AI. Hupchecker addresses this gap by measuring Original Intelligence, thereby revealing the individuals capable of unlocking AI’s full potential and ensuring that AI initiatives deliver genuine, sustainable value.
“We are in favor of AI, but we are not in favor of AI adoption done badly. AI alone doesn’t transform companies people do,” Aberman added. “AI is a tool, and like any tool, its benefits are maximized when paired with people who can use it best. Hupchecker identifies these individuals, fostering innovation and creating a lasting competitive advantage. We are going to change the game on AI adoption.”
Hupchecker is the first platform to generate an Original Intelligence Quotient (OIQ) and corresponding OIQ Types, revealing how individuals apply originality to solve problems and go beyond AI-generated uniformity. By benchmarking user responses against both human and AI outputs, the platform measures each person’s potential to collaborate with AI. Delivered as a quick, gamified web or mobile experience, Hupchecker enables organizations to assess originality and build AI-ready, creativity-driven teams in just ten minutes.
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“Hupside is based on years of scientific work by national experts in AI and creativity. When we saw its potential, we knew Ruxton had to get behind it,” said Mark Walsh, founder of Ruxton Ventures. “Hupchecker cuts through the hype and allows companies to identify employees who can generate original, valuable output, driving real and lasting business transformation.”
Backed by a team with deep expertise in venture, neuroscience, and emerging technologies, Hupside combines scientific rigor with practical application. The founding team includes Aberman, Erich Baumgartner, Dan Johnson, PhD, and Adam Green, PhD. Recently, Justin Fanelli, CTO for the U.S. Department of the Navy, joined Hupside’s advisory board to guide AI adoption while preserving human ingenuity in government and mission-driven organizations.
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