DNABlock

DNABlock, a Los Angeles-based firm founded in 2017, is positioned at the intersection of artificial intelligence and 3D content creation. The company operates in the Web3 and metaverse sector, developing tools that facilitate the creation of high-quality 3D avatars and animated content. Its primary offering, Replikant, is an AI-assisted platform designed to democratize 3D production, allowing users without coding or animation expertise to generate photorealistic digital humans, immersive environments, and animated videos.

The company was co-founded by CEO Anthony Kelani and CTO Luc Shurgers. Shurgers, a veteran of the game engine industry with several AAA titles to his credit, recognized early on the potential for procedurally generated avatars and animation. This foresight led to the development of Replikant. The platform is engineered to empower a new class of creators, including distributed teams of artists, musicians, and writers, to build and publish content rapidly. DNABlock has secured significant funding to advance its mission, including a notable $7 million seed round in March 2022, led by Sfermion, Solana Ventures, Animoca Brands, and Non-Fungible Labs, with participation from SoftBank and others. This followed an earlier seed investment of $1.2 million.

DNABlock's business model revolves around its Replikant software, which targets creator communities, particularly in the NFT space. Partner NFT communities can gain free access to Replikant and its marketplace for digital assets like wardrobes and props. For individual creators and businesses, Replikant offers a subscription-based model with various tiers (Starter, Creator, Professional, Business) that provide different levels of features, such as watermark-free rendering and commercial licenses. Revenue is also generated through a credit system for accessing its AI-powered services. The platform's capabilities include motion capture via webcam or iPhone, a user-friendly sequencer, and the ability to render content up to 4K. Recently, the company launched Replikant Chat on Steam, an interactive platform where users can engage in real-time conversations with customizable 3D AI characters in immersive environments.

Keywords: 3D animation, AI platform, virtual production, avatar creation, Web3, content creation, NFT, metaverse, digital humans, real-time animation