Proprietary AI and cloud-based platform promises to turn 2D images into 3D avatars in 60 seconds; led by Armilar Venture Partners, the investment round will advance product development and create additional customer support.
Didimo describes its pipeline as designed to enable game developers, brands, and companies to turn 2D facial (and soon body) images into a 3D digital version at a faster speed, scale, and immersion than previously possible in today’s marketplace. As a result, consumers can see their “actual self” playing against their favorite sports star in a video game, dancing with their friends at a virtual concert, or trying on fashion in eCommerce sites.
The proprietary, AI-based system has earned three patents for the unique use of computer graphics, computer vision, and deep learning technologies and the ability to serve highly 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 empower people to do naturally in digital spaces what they do in the real world, like try on clothes, pick up and explore products, compete in a game, or entertain their friends. Our technology means people engage with computing in more human and authentic ways.”
“We have been closely involved with Didimo for a few years and have watched this technology advance quickly, from its academic roots shaped over several years of R&D, to become an enterprise-grade product offering an entirely new engagement model with people at the center,” shared Armilar Venture Partners’ Pedro Ribeiro Santos. “We believe that the company’s product offers an immense opportunity as businesses look for scalable ways through which they can provide deeper value - and earn greater revenue - from their consumer base by stimulating 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 commercial 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 quickly populate their worlds with high-quality characters. In addition, the modular platform uses industry-standard tools and formats like Mixamo, ARKit, and Amazon Polly - designers can quickly build to their desired specs.
Source: Didimo