Sekai Secures $3.1 Million in Seed Funding

Generative AI storytelling startup Sekai announced on Thursday its successful funding round of $3.1 million, led by Hashed.

Leveraging the Story Protocol, Sekai aims to create a multiplayer storytelling experience, allowing storytellers to co-create using generative AI while protecting their intellectual property.

Sekai CEO Kaiser Kim stated, “The big IP monopolies and traditional IP structures don’t prioritize originality. We are combining AI and blockchain secured-IP to empower creators to explore new forms of collaborative storytelling beyond traditional silos.”

With the rise of chatbots and generative AI tools for creating illustrations and videos, industry leaders anticipate dramatic shifts in new media creation and ownership. The Story Protocol, a Layer 1 blockchain developed by PIP Labs and backed by a16z, focuses on tokenizing intellectual property for the AI era.

Baek Kim, General Partner at Hashed, expressed that Sekai enables creators to unlock their potential and connect directly with audiences, streamlining the content distribution process.

This funding round comes after Sekai’s success in winning the ETHDenver general hackathon earlier in the year. Other investors in this round include a16z CSX, Azuki, Orange DAO, and Zypsy, with Sekai also participating in the a16z CSX startup accelerator this year.