AI Webtoon Animation Startup Blackbox Secures Seed Investment

AI-based webtoon short animation production startup Blackbox has secured seed investment from accelerators Bluepoint Partners and ATP Ventures, recognized for its innovative technology and growth potential. While the specific investment amount is undisclosed, the company was separately selected for the Ministry of SMEs and Startups' technology startup program 'TIPS,' securing 500 million won in research and development (R&D) funds, bringing its total R&D investment to 500 million won. Blackbox is developing a solution that automatically converts webtoon original artwork into short animations using its proprietary AI technology. This technology is characterized by its ability to naturally connect characters and backgrounds, and enable smooth scene transitions and motion implementation, even with only a few original images. This is expected to not only significantly shorten production time compared to existing animation production processes, but also open up new avenues for webtoon artists and illustrators to directly create and distribute animation content. Lee Jong-min, CEO of Blackbox, stated, "We will use this investment and R&D funds as a stepping stone to introduce a more advanced webtoon animation automation solution." He added, "Starting in the second half of this year, we plan to officially launch our short animation production service and actively pursue B2B collaborations with companies and studios." Blackbox's technology is evaluated to have high competitiveness, given that the global OTT and short-form video platform markets are showing annual growth rates exceeding double digits, and there is increasing interest in creating secondary content using webtoon IP (intellectual property). Blackbox plans to strategically invest the secured funds in advancing its AI engine, building content production pipelines, entering overseas markets, and expanding partnerships. In particular, it aims to focus on targeting global markets such as China, Southeast Asia, and North America, thereby expanding the IP competitiveness of K-webtoons into the animation market.