Avatar Chat Animator Fix8 Gets $3M

Fix8, a free software tool that animates avatar facial expression based on webcam inputs, has received $3 million in Series 1A financing from the Vickers Financial Group. Fix8, a division of Mobinex, has previously partnered with social network provider Pringo Network. The applications cited right now range  "from camera-to-camera chats to webcasting, video blogging to interactive TV"--mostly user-created content for asynchronous communication--but it seems like a logical next-step for virtual worlds that have already built in live, streaming voice.
 

Creator of User-Generated Reality to Expand Virtual Communications
     Offerings as Consumer Demand For Instant Messaging, Video Sharing,
                          Interactive TV Increases

    LOS ANGELES, Oct. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- fix8, a division of Mobinex, Inc.,
a leader in virtual communications technology, today announced the company
has completed Series 1A financing of $3 million from Vickers Financial
Group, a Singapore-based private equity firm targeting entrepreneurial
cutting-edge investment opportunities on a global scale.
    (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20071016/LATU082LOGO)
    fix8 combines real-time interactive animated video creation and User
Generated Content (or reality!) all into one easy-to-use application. fix8
offers users a fully immersive experience through the key integration of
avatar technology mixed with creative accessories, voice manipulation, and
editing tools to unlock an entirely new virtual universe. At the heart of
fix8 is H.E.A.R.T. (Human Expression Analysis & Rendering Technology),
which digitizes human expressions and gestures via webcam allowing users to
broadcast their videos on popular social networking sites and IM services
including AOL, MSN, Skype and Yahoo.
    fix8 recently expanded its signature technology through a key
partnership with Shanghai Media Group (SMG) offering Auditions(TV) to
create a new world of Interactive TV where audiences can submit fix8
content for insertion into LIVE or taped programming. fix8 will further
bridge the gap between communication devices with the launch of fix8
MOBILE.
    "Our investment in fix8 is in response to ever-increasing consumer
demand for User Generated Content from instant messaging to video sharing
and interactive TV," said Managing Director, Jeffrey Chi, Vickers Venture
Partners. "fix8 is well-positioned to lead virtual communications for UGC,
and we look forward to supporting their expansion."
    In-Stat estimates global UGC revenues will grow from $80 million in
2006 to $1.6 billion by 2011. IDC estimates enterprise IM will grow from 40
million users in 2007 to more than 140 million by 2009, making it the
fastest growing communications medium of all time.
    "From camera-to-camera chats to webcasting, video blogging to
interactive TV -- fix8 allows consumers to unlock their creative desire for
expression through a new world of unique, rich animated content," said CEO,
Linh Duy Tang. "We are pleased to be aligned with Vickers, which
understands the significance and monetization of User-Generated Content, a
phenomena that has broad international appeal."
    About fix8
    fix8 a new media company that blends Internet, television and mobile
platforms with rich, live streaming animated video creation, editing and
sharing capabilities. fix8 is a FREE, fun, creative new way of
communicating and inspired Auditions(TV), a powerful platform for
broadcasting high quality, real-time media to support interactive TV. fix8
was recently named one of Launch: Silicon Valley's "Top 30 Tech Innovators
2007." Developed in response to rapid growth in video sharing, social
networking and user-generated content, fix8 is the future of rich
interactive communication. Headquartered in Los Angeles, fix8 has offices
in China and Vietnam. fix8 is a division of Mobinex, Inc. Cr8 - Rel8 -
Communic8. Download at http://www.fix8.com. fix8 China can be found at
http://www.fix8.cn.
    About Vickers Venture Partners.
    The Vickers Financial Group is the venture capital arm of the Vickers
Capital Group, an Asian investment house investing in alternative assets.
Vickers Venture Partners is a leading venture capital firm focusing on
early stage, high growth companies focused on Asian markets. The firm's
competency stems from the fact that its decision-makers have been part of
and hence well-acquainted with the pulse of diverse domains.