Keeping up with the myriad of AI models available for content creation can be daunting. Krea, a startup based in San Francisco, aims to ease this burden for designers and visual creatives by raising $83 million to enhance its platform. The company believes that its unified platform will significantly streamline the process of working with generative AI.
Krea offers a custom interface that allows users to access tooling from multiple AI models. This functionality is designed to simplify the way users can make queries and customize edits to the generated content. The startup has attracted a diverse user base, including creators from Perplexity AI, Loop Earplugs, Pixar, LEGO, and Samsung.
Today, Krea announced its funding details, with the latest Series B round accounting for $47 million, building on a preseed/seed round of $3 million and a Series A of $33 million. It’s been reported that Krea is now valued at $500 million post-money, with Bain Capital Ventures leading this latest funding round, alongside other prominent investors like Andreessen Horowitz and Abstract Ventures. The vision behind Krea comes from founders Victor Perez and Diego Rodriguez, who bonded over their shared interests in creativity and technology during their university days in Barcelona.
Their journey into AI began in 2015, a formative year for artificial intelligence, leading to their development of Krea. After pursuing studies in audio-visual systems, the duo decided to leave their graduate programs and fully dedicate themselves to building Krea. Krea is addressing a significant gap in the market: the challenges designers face in navigating the fast-evolving landscape of generative AI tools.
Designers typically lack prompt engineering skills, making technical interactions with AI cumbersome. Krea’s platform is built to empower creators rather than replace their workflows. By enabling easy input for ideas and utilizing the most suitable AI models, Krea allows users to maintain control over their creative processes.
The platform also offers unique editing features, enabling modifications akin to traditional artistic methods. Future developments include expanding support for audio and music generation while enhancing enterprise capabilities. Krea’s approach harmonizes human creativity with cutting-edge technology, promising a user-friendly experience from the outset.