VTubers, online personalities who interact with the world via animated avatars, have become a major industry, attracting significant viewership and commercial sponsorship. To tap into this market, a start-up called Hyper, backed by Amazon and other investors, is simplifying the process of creating and using these avatars. Hyper’s solution replaces expensive and complex motion capture equipment with a streamlined approach that involves only an iPhone and an app. After securing $3.6 million in a seed round led by Two Sigma Ventures, Hyper is planning to introduce avatar AI assistants as part of its future product lineup. This could transform storytelling by allowing audiences to interact with AI-generated characters. The company is also considering incorporating more large language models to optimize interactions. Amazon’s interest in Hyper potentially lies in the integration of Hyperâ??s tools into platforms like Twitch or leveraging its technology to build characters based on Amazon’s content IP.
Hyper raises $3.6M from Amazon and more for its iPhone-based, VTuber-friendly avatar platform