#USA #San Francisco #3D Modeling #AssetHub #AI Games

AssetHub Inc. Secures Funding for AI-Driven 3D Creation

In a significant move for the gaming and digital production industry, AssetHub Inc., a startup based in San Francisco, has raised a total of $2 million in its seed round funding. This funding marks the first close of the round and involves participation from notable investors including Archetype Ventures, Techstars, and several angel investors, some of whom have illustrious backgrounds in technology and entertainment.

The Investors Behind the Deal

The roster of investors is impressive and features various influential figures. They include:

• - Takahiro Ito, Former CTO at Sony Mobile
• - Norihisa Hamada, Former Managing Director at Mynavi and CEO at Ideal Inc.
• - Shintaro Yamada, CEO at Mercari
• - David Bennett, Outside Director at Sanrio
• - Michel Tolkin, CEO at IMAX Labs and a candidate for the Mayor of New York City
• - Aldrich Huang, CEO at UXTesting
• - Jacob Vorsø Pedersen, COO at Introdex AI

These investors bring a wealth of experience and credibility, which bodes well for AssetHub as it seeks to carve out a niche in the rapidly evolving landscape of gaming and digital content creation.

What is AssetHub?

AssetHub is an AI-native platform that offers tools for generating and editing 3D models. Aimed at transforming traditional workflows, the platform allows users to produce high-quality 3D content quickly and affordably. Some key features of AssetHub include:

• - Development of AI-Native 3D Production Tools: AssetHub employs generative AI to streamline the modeling and texturing processes, significantly reducing the time and effort normally required by professional creators.
• - BPO Services Utilizing AssetHub: The company also provides business process outsourcing (BPO) services for 3D creation, leveraging a team of AI-savvy creators to assist with real production tasks.
• - Affordable and Rapid IP Game Development: By integrating AI agents, AssetHub aims to create IP-driven games through a web-based production flow, making it easier and cheaper for developers to bring their ideas to life.

The Rationale Behind the Funding

Japan has a cultural edge in creating unique intellectual properties (IPs) through cost-effective mediums like manga, anime, and light novels. The country has demonstrated a remarkable ability to foster IPs through innovative game development. As development costs have dropped significantly in the past—illustrated by the success stories from the days of Family Computer and mobile gaming—there lies an opportunity to replicate this success using AI technologies.

AssetHub's mission aligns with this vision. The company aims to compress and democratize the creative processes by leveraging generative AI, enabling a new generation of creators to bring forth their unique intellectual properties.

Expanding “Games x IP x AI” from Japan to the World

At the core of AssetHub’s strategy is a desire to merge gaming and IP creation, using AI technology to nurture original content. While user-generated content (UGC) platforms like Roblox and Fortnite dominate trends, focusing heavily on viral experiences, long-term IP cultivation remains a less explored territory.

Japan's unique cultural prowess in areas such as manga, anime, and even Vtuber phenomena shows the potential for expanded avenues in gaming IP startups. AssetHub intends to apply Japan’s advanced IP culture within the gaming space, ushering in a new era of creative expression through AI.

Future Outlook: Games as “IP Creation Media”

AssetHub envisions redefining games as a primary medium for IP creation, potentially stepping in where comics once stood. By streamlining the creative process through automation, the company aims to create a robust infrastructure that allows for the rapid crafting of visually arresting, unique worlds.

The ultimate goal is to establish games as a dynamic medium for global IP dissemination that resonates on various levels while leveraging cutting-edge AI tools.

Investors' Insights

Investors have weighed in on AssetHub's vision:

• - Shunpei Fukui, Managing Partner at Archetype Ventures commented, "AssetHub, and the team led by Takuya Goto, are tackling the gritty fundamentals of game development that often get glossed over. With turning the last bastion of 3D asset creation into a democratized process, Goto’s leadership is gearing to propel innovation beyond mere technological upgrades."
• - Yuki Shirato, Managing Director at Techstars, stated, "The potential for AssetHub's AI-driven marketplace in the realm of 3D assets is immense, and we are eager to support their journey toward revolutionizing IP asset utilization on a global scale."

Company Overview

Founded: AssetHub Inc.
Headquarters: San Francisco, CA and Tokyo, Japan
CEO: Takuya Goto
Business Activity: Development and provision of AI-driven 3D tools and game production platforms
Website: assethub.io

As AssetHub moves forward, it promises to bridge the gap between cultural heritage and technological growth, paving the way for innovative creation in the landscape of digital entertainment.