Los Angeles-based startup Moonvalley, which specializes in AI tools for video creation, has successfully raised $43 million in new venture capital, as indicated by an SEC filing. This announcement comes just a week after the launch of their first AI video-generating model, Marey. The filing revealed the involvement of 11 unnamed investors and followed Moonvalley’s previous accomplishment of raising $70 million in seed funding from prominent backers like General Catalyst, Khosla Ventures, and Bessemer Venture Partners. A spokesperson for Moonvalley clarified that the recent filing does not reflect the total funding figures, indicating that the finalized amount will be disclosed in the upcoming weeks.
The increasing accessibility of video generation tools has led to a surge of startups entering the market, creating a risk of oversaturation. Companies like Runway and Luma, along with tech giants such as OpenAI and Google, are rapidly developing similar models, making it challenging for one to stand out from the others. The Marey model, created in partnership with the new AI animation studio Asteria, is designed to offer users customization features such as detailed camera and motion controls. Additionally, it can produce HD clips lasting up to 30 seconds and poses a lower potential for legal complications compared to many other generative video models.
Unlike other startups that often use public, potentially copyrighted data for training, Moonvalley is collaborating with partners to secure licensing agreements and purchase video datasets. To address concerns from creators and artists who fear disruption in the film and television industry, Moonvalley is committed to allowing content removal requests, offering users the ability to delete their data, and providing an indemnity policy to shield customers from copyright disputes. Furthermore, the company is focused on building protective measures around its tools to prevent misuse, such as blocking requests to create content featuring specific individuals or inappropriate themes.