Mago, a startup specializing in AI-powered video transformation and stylization, announces a €1.5 million pre-seed round from Atlantic Labs, a leading European first-round investor headquartered in Berlin. The investment will enable Mago to expand its team and accelerate development, with a market launch planned for early 2025.
Meeting the Demands of Professional Video Production
The video production market is experiencing rapid growth, driven by creative industries including animation, film, gaming and social media. Non-realistic content creation, such as 2D animation, remains challenging with complex pipelines, high costs (up to €300,000 per minute and more), and specialized skill requirements. While generative AI offers a strategic solution for rapid iteration and style experimentation, existing tools often lack the precision and control demanded by professional environments where creators are used to powerful, complex and yet accurate software.
“Think of it as a universal filter for professional video, offering complete creative control and freedom,” explains Alvaro Lamarche Toloza, Mago co-founder. “Our technology can instantly transform live footage into animation, oil paintings, or any visual style while maintaining professional-grade quality and consistency.”
Building on WarpFusion’s Success
Mago builds upon co-founder Aleksandr Spirin‘s successful open-source video style transfer project, WarpFusion, which garnered over 150 million views on social media and has been used in leading professional productions ranging from series to music videos. The team has developed Mago to serve the broader creative sector, including freelancers, studios, and agencies, combining generative AI with human creativity to achieve any artistic vision in complex projects, including narrative content.
Professional-Grade Style Transfer Engine
Mago offers an intuitive yet technically sophisticated interface designed specifically for iterative AI workflows, and allows any creator to transform and stylize any video into any aesthetic or artistic direction. The software provides a unique creative process that embraces AI-driven serendipity while maximizing artist control and visibility. The company plans to offer both SaaS and on-premise versions, along with a free version. Future developments include integration with popular creation software like Unreal Engine and Blender.
“By accelerating production pipelines, we empower creators to do more with less, while preserving human creativity. Our goal is to amplify creative capabilities, not replace them,” adds Alvaro Lamarche Toloza.
“Mago’s approach to transforming video production with AI is a game-changer for creators. Alvaro and Aleksandr are seasoned creative professionals, they know the challenges that exist, and have a strong vision. We’re excited to support the Mago team as they take this technology from France to the world.” – Alice Bardon Catineau, Atlantic Labs
About Mago
Mago is a fully controllable AI-powered video transformation and stylization software designed for creative industry professionals. Our mission is to empower creators to enhance any video – from live-action footage to 3D animations – with any aesthetic style. Mago optimizes, simplifies, and accelerates non-realistic production workflows, significantly reducing costs and opening new possibilities in animation, film, game cinematics, advertising, and many other fields. Our prototype, WarpFusion, has already captivated over 150 million viewers on social media. www.mago.studio
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