Yellow Secures $5M Investment from A16z to Develop Gen AI-Enhanced 3D Modeling Tool

Yellow has secured $5 million in seed funding from A16z Games to enhance its AI-driven 3D modeling tool, YellowSculpt. This innovative tool allows artists to create clean, pre-rigged 3D character meshes based on a text prompt in under three minutes, making 3D character generation as accessible as 2D image creation.

YellowSculpt simplifies the animation process for 3D characters, reducing the workload required to prepare them for gaming use.

“What sets Yellow apart is their focus on empowering human creativity through AI. They’re developing tools that amplify professional 3D artists’ capabilities while making character creation accessible to all,” said Jack Soslow, Partner at A16z. “Yellow blends advanced AI research with strong commercial instincts, paving the way for the next wave of human creativity.”

Founded in 2023 by CEO Mandeep Waraich, formerly Google's Head of Product: Core ML – Large Models and Industrial AI, and Chief Scientist Prof. Vincent Sitzmann from MIT’s Scene Representation Group, Yellow has also recruited notable academics to tackle the technical challenges of delivering high-quality results. These experts include Prof. Chris Rupperecht from Oxford’s Visual Geometry Group and Prof. Ludwig Schmidt from Stanford’s Computer Vision group.

In addition to enhancing artists' creative output, YellowSculpt aims to minimize integration challenges. The generated meshes work seamlessly with leading game engines such as Unity, Unreal, and Roblox, as well as 3D authoring tools like Daz Studio, Maya, and Blender.

In January 2024, Yellow formed an exclusive partnership with Tafi, the developers of Daz Studio. This collaboration allowed Yellow to ethically train its generative AI model using Daz’s 3D library, particularly the Genesis Character Content.

“Given Tafi’s position as a premier 3D tooling and asset marketplace, we have engaged with numerous 3D generative AI tool companies, and Yellow stands out. Their unique blend of strategic vision and execution is unparalleled,” stated Preston Woo, Tafi’s Chief Strategy Officer. “Partnering with Yellow strengthens our 3D capabilities by integrating their AI technologies into our character generation system.”

Since finalizing its funding round in mid-2023, Yellow has expanded its research team to 12 employees globally, with plans to add three more in the coming month.

“We are excited for the next stage of growth and innovation at Yellow. Our mission is to make professional-grade 3D generative AI tools accessible to everyone,” Waraich remarked in an email to GamesBeat. “Currently, we are working on expanding YellowSculpt to generate not just humanoid characters, but also fantasy characters, along with lifelike expressions and motion.”

“In the upcoming months, we will continue to grow our team and explore the creation of immersive 3D environments where these characters can interact. This exploration aims to provide a limitless canvas for creativity, equipping everyone with the tools to craft rich 3D worlds in gaming and beyond.”