In the realm of artificial intelligence, there is an abundance of image and text generators that empower users to instantly generate content. Alpha3D, a platform fueled by generative AI, is a participant in the Startup Battlefield 200 cohort at TechCrunch Disrupt 2023, aiming to demonstrate a technology capable of rapidly scaling digital assets.
Their platform is designed to assist anyone, irrespective of their familiarity with 3D modeling, in creating 3D digital assets from text prompts or uploaded images within minutes. These digital assets can be utilized in various applications such as augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), virtual try-on (VTO), gaming, the metaverse, or as non-fungible tokens (NFTs).
Madis Alesmaa, the CEO of Alpha3D, highlighted that their proprietary AI technology, developed in-house, has amassed a vast repository of data assets over the past years to bolster their platform.
Rather than relying on labor-intensive scanning or manual content modeling, Alpha3D’s AI swiftly processes existing 2D images, extracting information to construct 3D images within seconds. Customers can then seamlessly incorporate these assets into their gaming environments, metaverse projects, e-commerce platforms, or any other desired applications.
The founding team of Alpha3D comprises Alesmaa, Rait-Eino Laarmann, Shahab Anbarjafari, and Mariliis Retter. Alesmaa and Laarmann bring startup experience to the table, Anbarjafari previously served as a team lead for photogrammetry-based 3D model creation at Rakuten, and Retter has prior executive marketing roles in her background.
To date, Alpha3D has secured nearly $2 million in funding from a range of investors, including venture capitalists and angel investors such as Sebastien Borget, co-founder and COO of The Sandbox; Taavi Rõivas, former prime minister of Estonia; and others associated with Meta, Slack, and PwC.
Despite the initial hype around the metaverse appearing to subside, major brands continue to experiment with digital collectibles, particularly NFTs, and other virtual products to engage with consumers in novel ways. In the past year, companies like Nike and Starbucks have launched virtual marketplaces and NFT-based loyalty programs to explore new avenues of consumer interaction.
Alpha3D’s focus was prompted by the need for enhanced content creation using AI visualization, which had become a significant bottleneck for major brands and gaming companies, according to Alesmaa.
The persistent demand for 3D-generated content is unsurprising, as not every large enterprise is equipped or willing to establish an in-house team for digital asset creation due to the associated costs, technical complexity, and time constraints. Alpha3D steps in to address this gap.
Alesmaa emphasized, “Whether we like it or not, this is where the world is going. Younger generations are spending so much time inside immersive experiences. It’s going to be another world built on top of our existing world, and you need a way to create environments and assets easily.”
Alpha3D’s technology delivers a 3D asset to users in just four to five seconds, a remarkable improvement compared to platforms that take several days for the same task. The cost is also quite affordable, with the first 50 assets being free, and subsequent models priced at a maximum of one euro per model. The company is currently prioritizing user acquisition over monetization.
Since its launch in mid-March, Alpha3D has garnered nearly 100,000 platform users, with month-over-month growth ranging from 40% to 45%, according to Alesmaa. They are currently collaborating with over 35 companies, including Nvidia, The Sandbox, and LVMH, boasting 1.4 million in contracted annual recurring revenue (ARR) and 60,000 in monthly recurring revenue (MRR), as outlined in their presentation.
The next phase of their roadmap centers on integrating their technology into various infrastructures. Alesmaa envisions Alpha3D as an essential infrastructure layer for numerous businesses grappling with content creation challenges, offering a solution to this critical aspect of their operations.
