Synthesia reaches a symbolic milestone: with 100 million dollars in annual recurring revenue and a 100% growth year-on-year, the London-based startup establishes itself as a key player in generative AI applied to corporate communication. The entry of Adobe Ventures into its capital strengthens this trajectory, confirming the growing interest of software giants in solutions capable of industrializing content production at the enterprise level.
Founded in 2017 by Steffen Tjerrild, Lourdes Agapito, Matthias Niessner, and Victor Riparbelli, Synthesia has chosen not to position itself as a consumer creative tool but as a B2B platform focused on operational uses. It allows its clients to create videos from text using realistic AI avatars: they can choose from one of the 230 offered or create their own digital twin either by recording a short video with a webcam or smartphone or by visiting one of its studios.
In addition to this automation, Synthesia offers advanced features such as instant translation into over 140 languages, adding visual elements (images, text, slides, custom background) to the video, and customization options to adapt the avatars' appearance and tone to the company's needs. Users can thus produce studio-quality content in minutes at a lower cost, without a camera, microphone, actor, or technical skills.
Valued at 2.1 billion dollars after a series D funding round of 180 million dollars completed last January, the startup has about 65,000 corporate clients, including more than 70% of the Fortune 100 (compared to 40% two years ago). They use its solution in various fields: training, marketing, customer support, internal communication...
A Strategic Investment by Adobe
The support of Adobe Ventures, the financial arm of the American digital creation giant, marks a new phase for Synthesia. This investment, the amount of which has not been disclosed, opens the door to strategic synergies. Adobe launched last October the beta version of its text-to-video model, Firefly Video, which powers Premiere Pro, a video editing software. It might want to strengthen its position in generative AI applied to visual creation while exploring new enterprise-oriented use cases where Synthesia has already structured a solid client base and an industrial platform.
On its side, the startup will be able to use this funding to continue the development of its tool. It recently announced a partnership with Shutterstock, which will give it access to its library of corporate videos to enhance the realism of its avatars.
Victor Riparbelli, its CEO and co-founder, comments:
"We are incredibly proud to announce these milestones. Reaching 100 million dollars in ARR underscores the significant value and impact that our platform and AI video solutions bring to enterprises, as well as the shared determination of our team to build a generational software company. The investment from Adobe Ventures represents a strong confirmation of our vision for enterprise video communications, allowing us to offer even more innovation and value to our clients."
To better understand
What is 'text-to-video' technology, and how does Adobe's Firefly Video tool fit into this trend?
The 'text-to-video' technology enables the creation of videos from text descriptions. Adobe's Firefly Video, in beta, leverages this technology to produce video content directly in Premiere Pro, enhancing their generative AI offerings.
What are the regulatory implications of using generative AI advancements, like those of Synthesia, in the creation of corporate audiovisual content?
Using generative AI in content creation raises issues of copyright, privacy, and information manipulation. Regulators are exploring frameworks that balance innovation with the protection of individual rights and transparency.