- AI-Driven 3D Animation Innovation: South Korean startup Cinamon is developing CINEV, an AI-powered 3D animation platform set for beta launch in early 2025, aiming to simplify animation creation with intuitive controls and text-based prompts.
- Strategic Funding & Industry Backing: Backed by $18.5 million in funding from investors like Altos Ventures, Krafton, and Naver subsidiaries, Cinamon is leveraging its gaming and metaverse ties to enhance its AI animation capabilities.
- Expanding AI & 3D Content Creation: With a 60-person team, Cinamon is focusing on R&D and AI engineering to position CINEV as a key tool for creators in gaming, anime, VTubing, and cinematic storytelling.
South Korean startup Cinamon is making strides in AI-driven 3D animation with its upcoming platform, CINEV. Backed by an $8.5 million funding round from investors including Altos Ventures and Saehan Venture Capital, the company aims to simplify the animation process for creators. CINEV, set for a beta launch in early 2025, seeks to provide an intuitive interface where users can build 3D environments, direct scenes, and edit content using text prompts and simple controls.
Unlike traditional AI video generators that rely on pixel-based synthesis, CINEV integrates a 3D asset library, AI motion generation, and a filmmaking-centric large language model. This approach allows for more precise control over character actions, scene composition, and camera angles, making it especially suited for long-form content like films and animated series. The company believes this could complement existing AI video tools by providing high-quality reference material for broader AI-driven workflows.
Cinamon, originally founded as a gaming subsidiary of content firm Vonvon, pivoted toward animation technology after its early venture into interactive storytelling. While competitors explored animated storytelling apps and fiction platforms, Cinamon focused on developing scalable 3D animation tools that could streamline production for studios and content creators. This strategic shift positioned the company as a key player in the evolving AI animation space, despite the higher costs associated with 3D content development.
The startup began building its AI-enhanced animation platform in 2022, attracting significant investment from major South Korean tech players. Gaming giant Krafton, along with Naver subsidiaries Naver Z and SNOW, contributed $10 million to Cinamon’s Series A funding round. With ties to Naver’s webtoon and metaverse ecosystems, as well as Krafton’s extensive 3D gaming assets, Cinamon sees opportunities to expand beyond animation and into broader content creation markets.
Looking ahead, Cinamon plans to leverage its investors’ intellectual properties and 3D assets to enhance CINEV’s capabilities, making it a valuable tool for creators in gaming, anime, VTubing, and cinematic content. The company, now with a 60-person team specializing in AI, 3D graphics, and content production, is using its latest funding to expand R&D and hire more AI engineers. With total funding reaching $18.5 million, Cinamon is positioning itself as a key innovator in AI-powered animation and storytelling.
