Genies, Inc.

Genies is an American avatar technology company founded by Akash Nigam and Evan Rosenbaum in 2017.[1] Genies consumer app allow users to create fully personalized avatars to be used in apps such as Giphy,[2] iMessage, and Instagram.[3] Genies also offers a software development kit (SDK) enabling brands to create a branded avatar experience and online marketplace directly in their apps.[4] The company also consists of an Avatar Agency that creates digital versions of its clients.[5]

Genies
TypePrivate
Founded2017 (2017)
FounderAkash Nigam and Evan Rosenbaum
Headquarters
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Number of employees
90 (2021)

The company has raised $40 million in funding from Silicon Valley venture capitalists such as Jim Beyer, NEA, and Foundation Capital. In addition to traditional VC firms. Genies has also received funding from other sources, such as entrepreneurs, talent agencies, and Fortune 500 companies.[6][7] Genies currently employs 90 people and the company is valued at over $100 million.[8] In November 2020, Japanese multinational video game developer and publisher Bandai Namco Entertainment announced a $3 million investment in Genies including an expansion in Asia.[9]

In 2021, Genies started offering non-fungible tokens (NFTs) in partnership with celebrities such as musician Shawn Mendes.[10]

When Nigam was a junior in college at the University of Michigan studying computer science and economics, he met University of Pennsylvania student, Evan Rosenbaum, and soon after, the two co-founded a company called Blend. Blend started as a mobile app for college students that gifted items in exchange for sharing photos.[11] The co-founders received an acquisition offer but declined. Shortly after, the pair began using much of Blend’s proprietary technology to build Genies.[12][13]

As of March, 2022, former Disney CEO Bob Iger has taken a seat on the board of the company.[14]

References
  1. Constine, Josh (January 8, 2017). "Meet 'Genies,' the lifelike personalized avatars that reenact news". TechCrunch.
  2. "Genies brings customizable 3D avatars to Giphy". Venture Beat. April 7, 2021.
  3. Constine, Josh (November 19, 2018). "Genies brings lifelike avatars to other apps with $10M from celebrities". TechCrunch.
  4. Liffreing, Ilyse (October 20, 2020). "Gucci and Giphy add avatars to their apps as potential digital revenue drivers".
  5. Gardner, Chris (May 10, 2019). "Now Celebrity Avatars Can Hire Their Own Agents=The Hollywood Reporter".
  6. Carson, Biz (June 11, 2019). "Billionaires Jim Breyer and Thomas Tull Lead $15 Million Bet That Genies' Avatars Will Be Next Big Thing In Social". Forbes.
  7. Chang, Juile (November 5, 2019). "Venice-based tech company creates app that allows users to create Pixar-quality avatars". Fox LA.
  8. Ellingson, Annlee (December 8, 2017). "Genies app aims to make Bitmoji obsolete". BizJournals.
  9. Takahashi, Dean (November 20, 2020). "Genies raises $3 million from Bandai Namco for Asia expansion". VentureBeat.
  10. "Genies will sell one-of-a-kind digital goods for Shawn Mendes". Venture Beat. February 25, 2021.
  11. Grant, Rebecca (October 30, 2013). "Woohoo college! Blend's mobile app gives students free stuff for sharing photos". Venture Beat.
  12. Kwan, Emma (March 20, 2019). "Mountain View High grads launch popular Genies avatar app". Los Altos Online.
  13. Fields, Taylor (March 20, 2020). "Celebrities Helping to Raise Funds to Fight COVID-19 via Digital Avatars". iHeart Radio.
  14. Needleman, Sarah (March 14, 2022). "After Walt Disney, Robert Iger Heads to the Metaverse". Wall Street Journal.
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