- Investment through ‘The Invention Lab’ Deep Tech Venture Investment Fund -

- Aiming to Grow as a Leading AI Tech Company for Korean-Style K-Virtual Humans -

Omotion, a company specializing in ultra-realistic 3D virtual human R&D and content service technology, co-founded by CEO Moonseok Oh and CTO Youngho Seo, announced that it had secured a bridge investment for a Series A funding round at a valuation of 25 billion won from The Invention Lab Deep Tech Venture Investment Fund managed by accelerator The Invention Lab (CEO Jin-Young Kim).

Omotion was co-founded in 2021 by Moonseok Oh, a professor at Kwangwoon University (School of Media and Communication (Media and Information, Digital Media, Strategic Communication)), and Youngho Seo, a professor at Kwangwoon University (Department of Electronic Materials Engineering). The company is a tech-driven enterprise that has undertaken numerous R&D projects with major institutions such as the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, the Ministry of Science and ICT, and the Seoul Metropolitan Government, securing cumulative government project funding of 4.1 billion won. Omotion has also been recognized for its AI capabilities, being selected as an AI voucher solution provider by the Ministry of Science and ICT.

Omotion is growing into a specialized venture company in the 3D virtual human field, leveraging next-generation advanced technologies including the 'Omotion GenAI' for creating virtual humans capable of precise Korean speech as well as English, vision-based motion capture, ultra-realistic 3D virtual human automatic generation, generative AI-based rigging and animating, 4D volumetric model synthesis, compression/streaming, and XR spatial computing-based content services. This recent investment follows a 4 billion won initial investment from Korea University Technology Holdings in February of last year, acknowledging the potential of Omotion as a promising ‘K-Virtual Human’ company.

The Invention Lab, which has been focusing on investments in deep tech startups, formed the ‘Kwangwoon University The Invention Lab Deep Tech Venture Investment Fund’ with Kwangwoon University Technology Holdings in June of last year, with this investment being the fund’s first result. The Invention Lab aims to discover promising startups with core competitiveness in AI, robotics, and system semiconductors, emphasizing Omotion’s foundational technology in the virtual human field and its potential for domestic and international market expansion. Companies that receive this investment also gain eligibility for additional support funds through the Ministry of SMEs and Startups' TIPS program or Seoul-type TIPS commercialization funds.

Omotion's global expansion based on its proprietary technology is also active. Last August, they established a Japanese subsidiary (CEO Moonseok Oh) in Tokyo, followed by a US subsidiary (CEO Youngho Seo) in Silicon Valley in January of this year, and are preparing to establish a Chinese subsidiary in Guangzhou in the latter half of this year.

Omotion is also collaborating with major domestic media and entertainment companies. They are launching media products linked to popular broadcast content in partnership with MBC headquarters and are preparing to introduce Korea’s first virtual human sports caster in collaboration with MBC Plus early next year. They are planning media products for SBS M&C and HYBE’s hip-hop idol competition program and are developing XR spatial computing content services for the virtual idol ‘Subi’ in collaboration with Studio Meta K, which debuted this July. Additionally, they are working on a 3D virtual human and content production project utilizing IP from the popular webtoon ‘This Marriage Is Bound to Fail’ in partnership with webtoon studio DCC ENT, which gained attention for its pop-up store at The Hyundai Seoul. Omotion recently announced the development of the ‘Immersive AI Studio’ solution for next-generation movie and broadcast production in partnership with their collaborator M&N&H and is scheduled to hold a briefing session with the Saudi Sovereign Wealth Fund for solution export in August.

(From left) Kwangwoon University Professors Moonseok Oh (School of Media and Communication (Media and Information, Digital Media, Strategic Communication)) and Youngho Seo (Department of Electronic Materials Engineering).

Omotion's global network of K-culture media products and services is based on 3D virtual humans.