Beyond Presence Company Profile

Background

Company Overview

Beyond Presence is a Munich-based startup specializing in the development of real-time, AI-powered conversational avatars. Founded in 2024, the company aims to revolutionize digital interactions by creating hyper-realistic avatars capable of engaging in human-like face-to-face conversations. These avatars are designed to enhance customer engagement across various industries, including sales, customer service, education, and e-commerce.

Mission and Vision

Beyond Presence's mission is to transform the way humans interact with technology by providing emotionally resonant experiences through AI-driven avatars. The company envisions a future where businesses can scale human-like interactions efficiently, overcoming the limitations of conventional automation.

Key Strategic Focus

Core Objectives

Development of AI-Powered Avatars: Creating hyper-realistic avatars capable of real-time, multimodal video interaction and intelligent body control.

Industry Transformation: Revolutionizing sectors such as sales, customer service, education, and e-commerce by providing immersive, human-like digital interactions.

Specialization and Technologies

Beyond Presence specializes in AI-driven conversational avatars that deliver human-like responses. The company's proprietary foundation model focuses on hyper-personalization, enabling businesses to create avatars tailored to their specific needs. The platform supports multiple languages and integrates seamlessly into existing digital infrastructures.

Target Markets

The primary markets targeted by Beyond Presence include:

Customer Support: Providing 24/7 live support in over 170 languages.

Sales: Engaging potential customers with real-time product demonstrations and answering queries.

Coaching and Education: Delivering personalized educational content and training sessions.

Financials and Funding

Funding History

On October 14, 2024, Beyond Presence secured $3.1 million in pre-seed funding. The funding round was led by HV Capital, with participation from 10x Founders, Alba VC, Buildery VC, and notable business angel investors, including executives from Meta, DeepMind, and Zalando.

Utilization of Capital

The funds are intended to:

Expand AI-powered real-time avatars.

Continue building proprietary foundation models for hyper-personalization.

Scale technology across sectors like sales, customer service, education, recruiting, and e-commerce.

Pipeline Development

Product Offerings

Beyond Presence offers a self-serve platform where businesses can create and deploy scalable, AI-powered avatars. The platform includes:

Conversational Video Agents: AI-driven avatars designed for real-time interactions.

Conversational Avatars API: Enables seamless integration of interactive avatars into existing platforms.

Development Stages

The company is focused on enhancing its foundational models for conversational avatars and expanding its technology to various industries. Timelines for anticipated milestones have not been publicly disclosed.

Technological Platform and Innovation

Proprietary Technologies

Beyond Presence's platform leverages advanced AI and computer vision technologies to create hyper-realistic avatars capable of real-time, multimodal interactions. The avatars exhibit natural body language, facial expressions, and low-latency conversations, setting them apart from traditional AI tools.

Scientific Methodologies

The company's technology utilizes machine learning algorithms to analyze and replicate human expressions and movements, ensuring that avatars can engage in dynamic and interactive experiences.

Leadership Team

Executive Profiles

Awais Shafique: Co-founder and CEO. Previously led a video-to-3D human Generative AI company that was acquired by Meta.

Felix Altenberger: Co-founder and Managing Director. Details about his professional background are not publicly disclosed.

Competitor Profile

Market Insights and Dynamics

The market for AI-powered conversational avatars is rapidly growing, driven by increasing demand for personalized digital interactions across various industries. Businesses seek to enhance customer engagement, reduce operational costs, and scale human-like interactions efficiently.

Competitor Analysis

Key competitors include:

Shengshu Technology: A Chinese AI solution provider specializing in multi-modal application products.

Dexa AI Inc.: A U.S.-based AI-powered search engine designed for multi-modal content, focusing on indexing and analyzing conversations.

Viso.ai AG: A Swiss company offering a no-code computer vision platform for building and operating computer vision applications.

Strategic Collaborations and Partnerships

Beyond Presence has secured investments from prominent venture capital firms and business angels, including executives from Meta, DeepMind, and Zalando. These collaborations provide strategic support and resources to advance the company's technology and market reach.

Operational Insights

Competitive Advantages

Hyper-Realistic Avatars: Beyond Presence's avatars exhibit natural body language and facial expressions, enhancing user engagement.

Real-Time Interaction: The platform offers sub-1 second response times, ensuring seamless conversations.

No-Code Platform: Businesses can create and deploy AI agents without technical expertise, facilitating rapid adoption.

Strategic Opportunities and Future Directions

Expansion Plans

Beyond Presence aims to scale its technology across various sectors, including sales, customer service, education, recruiting, and e-commerce. The company is focused on enhancing its AI models for hyper-personalization and expanding its market presence.

Future Objectives