Irish startup goes global with €2.7m investment round lead by Suir Valley Ventures
The award-winning artificial intelligence (AI) software firm, Artomatix, has completed a funding round lead by Suir Valley Ventures totalling €2.7m.
The investment will help the Dublin-based firm, whose patented software has been proven to reduce the time needed for expensive 3D art creation by as much as 80%, to accelerate their market delivery worldwide.
Artomatix uses machine learning to radically speed up the slowest part of the scan-based artistic workflow.
Textures and backgrounds in 3D game-space have been radically enhanced by scan-based design, and photogrammetry is fast becoming the gold standard for high-end 3D content in games, movies, industrial prototyping and interior design.
End results of photogrammetry can, however, take months or even years to deliver, and requires significant investment.
The hotly anticipated remake of cult classic game Resident Evil 2 from Capcom has been in development since 2015.
The game uses scans of real world clothing to ensure movie-quality textures and finishes.
Artomatix uses neural-nets to reduce the time needed to handle many aspects of the scan-based artistic workflow.
Their software has been exciting 3D artists at AAA Studios around the globe, who took note when NVIDIA awarded the firm $100K and the label of most promising start-up in 2015.
Since then, it has been further developing its software and building its client base, now focusing on using the funds of €2.7m to accelerate market delivery worldwide.
Artomatix CEO, Joe Blake, said:
"The really exciting thing for me is to see how 3D design concepts pioneered in the entertainment space have become standard for product design and visualisation within mainstream industries like fashion, furniture and automotive."
Suir Valley Ventures Managing Partner, Barry Downes, said:
“We believe Artomatix not only complements our existing portfolio, it also allows us to access the new convergence of 3D design and AI.
Artomatix technology is about to change every industry exposed to 3D content, cutting costs, speeding up the rendering process and enabling the creation of truly groundbreaking graphics.
