AI Animation Startup Cheehoo Secures $10M in Greycroft Funding
▼ Summary
– Cheehoo, a startup founded by Hollywood veterans and tech innovators, has secured $10 million in funding led by Greycroft to develop AI solutions that simplify animation production.
– Cheehoo’s platform integrates seamlessly into existing workflows, offering tools for data annotation, file conversion, and AI-assisted character design, motion styling, and scene composition.
– Greycroft’s Brentt Baltimore highlights that Cheehoo democratizes animation by lowering production costs, making studio-grade capabilities accessible to independent creators.
The animation industry is undergoing a transformation as AI-powered tools emerge to streamline traditionally labor-intensive processes. For directors and creators, experimenting with different scene variations often means costly revisions—until now. Cheehoo, a new startup founded by Hollywood veterans and tech innovators, has secured $10 million in funding led by Greycroft to develop AI solutions that simplify animation production.
Born from Rideback, the production company behind hits like The Lego Movie, Cheehoo’s team blends entertainment expertise with cutting-edge AI research. Co-founders include Rideback executives Michael LoFaso and Jonathan Eirich, former DreamWorks Animation president Chris deFaria, and ex-Apple AI specialists Hubert Tsai and Wei-Cheng Kuo. Their goal? To give creators faster, more intuitive ways to bring animated stories to life.
“Animation has become prohibitively expensive and complex,” LoFaso explained. “We built Cheehoo to integrate seamlessly into existing workflows, removing bottlenecks so creators can focus on storytelling.” The platform accelerates prototyping with tools for data annotation, file conversion, and format consistency, while AI assists with character design, motion styling, and scene composition.
What sets Cheehoo apart is its hybrid approach: users can toggle AI features on/off for granular control and even plug in third-party models from OpenAI or Runway. Compatible with industry standards like Maya and Unreal Engine, it lets artists visualize changes instantly—a game-changer for iterative editing. Though launch partners remain unnamed, the startup is already collaborating with studios, IP holders, and independent filmmakers.
Greycroft’s Brentt Baltimore sees Cheehoo as a bridge between Hollywood and tech. “By lowering production costs, this tool democratizes animation,” he noted. “It brings studio-grade capabilities to independents without sacrificing creative control.” The funding round, which included Point72 Ventures and Headline Asia, will fuel further development, including consumer-facing products.
As competition heats up with rivals like Cartwheel and Cinamon, Cheehoo’s blend of industry insight and AI innovation positions it as a frontrunner in redefining how animation gets made—from blockbusters to passion projects.
(Source: TechCrunch)
