AI Animation Startup Cheehoo Raises $10M to Transform Animation Creation
Animation production has always been an intricate, time-consuming process, requiring multiple steps from storyboarding to final rendering. Traditional animation workflows can be slow, costly, and tedious, especially when making revisions. As the industry evolves, creators and studios are seeking ways to speed up production while maintaining creative control. Enter Cheehoo, a groundbreaking AI-powered startup that’s revolutionizing the animation space with a toolset designed to streamline and enhance the animation creation process. Recently, Cheehoo secured $10 million in funding led by Greycroft, marking a significant milestone for this innovative venture.
Cheehoo was founded by a team of experienced Hollywood executives and top technologists, including Michael LoFaso and Jonathan Eirich, co-CEOs of the production company Rideback, which produced the Lego Movie franchise. Other notable founders include Chris deFaria, former president of DreamWorks Animation, and ex-Apple AI researchers Yao-Hung Hubert Tsai and Wei-Cheng Kuo. Together, they aim to solve some of the biggest challenges in animation production, such as high costs, slow workflows, and the need for advanced technical skills.
The vision behind Cheehoo is clear: to empower creators by providing AI-driven tools that make animation faster, more affordable, and easier to create. With a focus on AI-based assistance, Cheehoo enables users to rapidly prototype, iterate, and adjust animated scenes. Whether it's data annotation, file conversion, or ensuring format consistency, Cheehoo’s tools integrate seamlessly with existing platforms like Maya and Unreal Engine, allowing creators to work within their preferred environments.
One of the standout features of Cheehoo’s platform is its ability to allow creators to make real-time changes to their animation. Users can toggle AI features on and off, granting them more control over the editing process. The platform also leverages in-house AI models to assist with tasks like character and asset creation. Additionally, creators can integrate third-party models from major AI players like OpenAI and Runway for tasks such as motion stylization and scene composition, enhancing the overall creative experience.
With the funding boost from Greycroft, Cheehoo is poised to disrupt the animation industry by making high-level animation production accessible to independent filmmakers and smaller studios. According to Brentt Baltimore, principal at Greycroft, Cheehoo has the right combination of Hollywood expertise and cutting-edge technology to address longstanding issues in animation pipelines. “Cheehoo has an opportunity to reduce the cost of animation production,” said Baltimore. “This will allow sophisticated creators to produce animation films without the need for expensive studio setups.”
Looking ahead, Cheehoo plans to expand its offerings to include more consumer-friendly products. By doing so, the company hopes to compete with other startups like Cartwheel and Cinamon, which are also developing tools aimed at simplifying animation workflows. As the demand for animation continues to grow across industries, Cheehoo’s innovative AI tools could become essential for creators seeking a more efficient, cost-effective way to bring their animated visions to life.
By harnessing the power of AI, Cheehoo is not just improving animation workflows; it’s democratizing the animation industry. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or an aspiring creator, Cheehoo’s tools promise to bring your animation projects to life faster, easier, and more affordably than ever before.
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