Didimo Announces $7.15M Funding to Expand 3D Avatar Production System

Didimo announced the closing of a $7.15 million Series A funding round that will help fuel the company’s commercial expansion by creating high-quality digital human avatars. Armilar Venture Partners provided the funding round with Bright Pixel Capital, Portugal Ventures and Techstars. Didimo will use the capital raised to develop its patented cloud-based technology platform that simplifies the previously complex process of creating 3D avatars into a single step. The company notes that its proprietary system works at runtime, is more cost-effective, and allows the creation of an accurate digital twin in about 60 seconds.

Didimo describes its pipeline as designed to enable game developers, brands and businesses to transform 2D facial (and soon to be body) images into a 3D digital version at faster speed, scale and immersion than ever before on the current market. As a result, consumers can see their “real selves” playing against their favorite sports star in a video game, dancing with their friends at a virtual concert, or trying on fashion on e-commerce sites.

The proprietary AI-based system has been awarded three patents for the unique use of computer graphics, computer vision and deep learning technologies and the ability to serve very detailed files quickly and easily.

“Didimo’s mission has always been to make the digital world more human by bringing the richness of emotional expression and personalization to experiences,” said Didimo Founder, CEO Verónica Orvalho. “We can enable people to do naturally in digital spaces what they do in the real world, like trying on clothes, choosing and exploring products, playing a game or entertaining their friends. Our technology means people interact with computing in more human and authentic ways.

“We have been closely involved with Didimo for a few years and have seen this technology progress rapidly, from its academic roots shaped over several years of R&D, to become an enterprise-grade product offering a whole new model of engagement with people. at the center,” shared Pedro Ribeiro Santos of Armilar Venture Partners. “We believe the company’s product offers immense opportunity as companies seek scalable ways through which they can deliver deeper value – and drive revenue. most important – from their consumer base by driving user attraction, engagement and retention.”

The US company, with offices in Porto, Portugal and the UK, will use the recently raised capital to drive global business growth, advance product development and create additional customer support options.

Beyond user-specific digital twins, the Didimo platform generates non-playable characters (NPCs) and realistic characters at speed and scale, helping studios and experience designers populate quickly their worlds with high quality characters. Additionally, the modular platform uses industry standard tools and formats such as Mixamo, ARKit and Amazon Polly – designers can quickly build to any desired specification.

Source: Didimo

Debbie Diamond Sarto is Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network.