Pimento, a French startup specializing in Generative AI (GenAI), has made headlines by securing $3.2 million in funding. This seed financing round, led by French early-stage investor Partech and Cygni Capital, marks a significant milestone for the startup, which aims to transform the creative process of ideation and moodboarding.
Pimento is revolutionizing the way creative teams work on projects, including brand redesigns, ad campaigns, video games, and animation movies. By turning creative briefs into visual mood boards using GenAI, Pimento serves as a vital resource during the initial research phase of these projects.
The Funding Round and Future Plans
The funding round saw contributions from several angel investors, including Julien Chaumond (Hugging Face), Stanislas Polu (Dust), Thibaud Elzière (Hexa), Jean-Charles Samuelian (Alan), Igor Manceau (ex-Ubisoft), Jonathan Widawski (Maze), Alessandro Sabatelli (ex-Apple), and Nicolas Steegmann (ex-Stupeflix). With this latest funding, the firm plans to launch new features, create a user-friendly design, and improve models to better fit the needs of creative projects.
Pimento: A Specialized Tool for Creative Teams
Pimento is designed to assist creative teams in gathering images, text, and colors, creating a reference document that guides and inspires their projects. This tool aims to streamline the iterative process often involved in creative projects, where clients and managers make frequent changes, leading teams to start from scratch multiple times.
Revolutionizing Creativity with AI
Pimento’s incorporation of AI into the creative process aims to revolutionize how creativity is approached. Currently, many creative professionals rely on platforms like Pinterest, Instagram, Behance, Canva, and Figma for inspiration and mood boards. Pimento, however, brings a new dimension to this process by integrating Artificial Intelligence.
The Story Behind Pimento
Founded in October 2022 by Florent Facq and Tomás Yany, the startup has its roots in both creativity and technology. Facq developed Pass Culture, an app backed by the French Government, while Yany spent two years as an AI researcher at Apple US, focusing on photography, before returning to Paris to serve as the technical lead at Nabla, an AI health startup.
Vision and Mission of the Founders
Florent Facq emphasizes that being creative is not just about generating an image but about creating a coherent and relevant universe. Tomás Yany adds that Pimento ignites the true spirit of creative work by curating, guiding, and selecting, highlighting the crucial role of trained and professional judgment in ensuring coherence and relevance.
Conclusion: Pioneering a New Creative Landscape
The companies funding and innovative approach position it as a pioneering force in the creative industry. By blending AI with the creative process, Pimento is set to unlock new possibilities in ideation and moodboarding, enhancing the efficiency and creativity of teams across various sectors.