Kaepernick Launches AI Startup Lumi to Democratize Content CreationKaepernick Launches AI Startup Lumi to Democratize Content Creation

Former NFL quarterback's company raises $4M to help creators bypass gatekeepers and produce media independently

Ben Wodecki, Jr. Editor

July 30, 2024

2 Min Read
Colin Kaepernick speaks onstage during The Gordon Parks Foundation's Annual Awards Dinner And Auction
Noam Galai/Getty Images for The Gordon Parks Foundation

Former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick has launched a startup enabling anyone to use AI technologies to create stories and content like comic books.

The startup, Lumi, leverages generative AI technologies to enable users to create and publish their own content independently.

The Lumi platform provides tools that aim to widen access to creative tools, with the startup claiming that currently “a few large corporations dominate the narrative landscape, limiting the diversity of stories told.”

Upon launch, the startup said it wanted to help “transform any creator into Disney.”

“By leveraging advanced AI tools, Lumi enhances the creative process, allowing creators to focus on bringing their stories to life, while the platform handles all of the logistics,” Lumi’s website stated.

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Upon launch, Lumi raised $4 million in venture capital funding led by Seven Seven Six, the early-stage venture capital firm launched by Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian.

Kapor Capital and Impellent Ventures also invested, with notable angel investors including Minted founder Mariam Naficy, rapper Chamillionaire and David Sze, managing partner of Greylock Partners.

The startup said it has also secured investments from Meta and Anthropic executives but did not disclose any names.

Related:AI-generated Comic Book Keeps Copyright … Well, Some of It

Lumi plans to initially focus on AI tools for comic books and graphic novels.

“Lumi addresses an unnecessary dependency on gatekeepers that slows creators down,” said Kaepernick, who serves as Lumi’s CEO. “This allows creators to get back to what they ultimately want to do: create.”

Kaepernick famously knelt during the national anthem in 2016 to protest police brutality and racial inequality.

He was later dropped by the San Francisco 49ers and focused on his work as a civil rights activist, with his efforts the foundation of the eventual Black Lives Matter movement.

The former footballer founded Kaepernick Publishing in 2019, a publishing company that aims to “elevate a new generation of writers with diverse views and voices.”

His latest endeavor combines his work in civil rights and the media business to offer creators equal access to AI.

“The platform empowers creators to work freely and independently, deciding when and how they want to collaborate with others. This independence is crucial for fostering a vibrant and diverse creative ecosystem,” Kaepernick said.

“The timing for this venture is perfect, as recent technological advancements have made it possible to realize Lumi's vision,” said Cristina Apple Georgoulakis, a partner at Seven Seven Six. “Kaepernick and the Lumi team have gathered valuable insights from creators about their concerns and needs, including the desire for control over their work and financial sustainability. We believe Lumi is the perfect solution to a problem that has existed for decades.”

Related:Tech Lobbying Group Launches Campaign for AI Fair Use Rights

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ChatGPT / Generative AI

About the Author

Ben Wodecki

Jr. Editor

Ben Wodecki is the Jr. Editor of AI Business, covering a wide range of AI content. Ben joined the team in March 2021 as assistant editor and was promoted to Jr. Editor. He has written for The New Statesman, Intellectual Property Magazine, and The Telegraph India, among others. He holds an MSc in Digital Journalism from Middlesex University.

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