Victor Riparbelli

So that was the later round. So that was back in 2017. We did a million at five. That kind of got us started. We went like 12, 18 months, as you do. Went out to the market, felt like now we had a working technology. We were back then focused on AI doping, not the kind of avatar tech that we mostly have today. Again, learned a hard lesson.

So that was the later round. So that was back in 2017. We did a million at five. That kind of got us started. We went like 12, 18 months, as you do. Went out to the market, felt like now we had a working technology. We were back then focused on AI doping, not the kind of avatar tech that we mostly have today. Again, learned a hard lesson.

We went out and we're like, okay, we built this great technology. We have a great team. Let's raise $8 million. That completely failed. And for like nine months, which is like dragging our feet. I made all the mistakes you can make as a founder. I dragged out the funding process over nine months, like different data points, different investors. It was a big shit show.

We went out and we're like, okay, we built this great technology. We have a great team. Let's raise $8 million. That completely failed. And for like nine months, which is like dragging our feet. I made all the mistakes you can make as a founder. I dragged out the funding process over nine months, like different data points, different investors. It was a big shit show.

We went out and we're like, okay, we built this great technology. We have a great team. Let's raise $8 million. That completely failed. And for like nine months, which is like dragging our feet. I made all the mistakes you can make as a founder. I dragged out the funding process over nine months, like different data points, different investors. It was a big shit show.

And we actually had to rewind because we were running out of money. And we ended up raising $3.1 million. And that kind of took us through to the series A, which is when we had actually found product market fit and had like a sustainable business. But those two first rounds were very much rounds we raised based on story.

And we actually had to rewind because we were running out of money. And we ended up raising $3.1 million. And that kind of took us through to the series A, which is when we had actually found product market fit and had like a sustainable business. But those two first rounds were very much rounds we raised based on story.

And we actually had to rewind because we were running out of money. And we ended up raising $3.1 million. And that kind of took us through to the series A, which is when we had actually found product market fit and had like a sustainable business. But those two first rounds were very much rounds we raised based on story.

And it was a story back then that just didn't resonate that much because it was very hard for people to see what we had, how that could extrapolate that into everything that became today.

And it was a story back then that just didn't resonate that much because it was very hard for people to see what we had, how that could extrapolate that into everything that became today.

And it was a story back then that just didn't resonate that much because it was very hard for people to see what we had, how that could extrapolate that into everything that became today.

So we talk a lot about this, and I don't think we would. I think if we'd raised eight, we could have done a lot more things, right? And we would have done more things. We would have built deepfake detection, which everybody wanted us to build. You have to remember, this is in 2018, right? At this point, AI video, to everyone outside of Synthesia, it was just deepfakes.

So we talk a lot about this, and I don't think we would. I think if we'd raised eight, we could have done a lot more things, right? And we would have done more things. We would have built deepfake detection, which everybody wanted us to build. You have to remember, this is in 2018, right? At this point, AI video, to everyone outside of Synthesia, it was just deepfakes.

So we talk a lot about this, and I don't think we would. I think if we'd raised eight, we could have done a lot more things, right? And we would have done more things. We would have built deepfake detection, which everybody wanted us to build. You have to remember, this is in 2018, right? At this point, AI video, to everyone outside of Synthesia, it was just deepfakes.

People thought that that was going to be the big thing. And that is, of course, it's a problem and it's a real thing, but we always thought this is a subset of AI video. Most people are going to use these technologies to create awesome creative content. But if we got that money, I think we would have built a team to do that. And that would have meant we've lost our focus.

People thought that that was going to be the big thing. And that is, of course, it's a problem and it's a real thing, but we always thought this is a subset of AI video. Most people are going to use these technologies to create awesome creative content. But if we got that money, I think we would have built a team to do that. And that would have meant we've lost our focus.

People thought that that was going to be the big thing. And that is, of course, it's a problem and it's a real thing, but we always thought this is a subset of AI video. Most people are going to use these technologies to create awesome creative content. But if we got that money, I think we would have built a team to do that. And that would have meant we've lost our focus.

And I actually think that operating under the constraints that we had at the time really just focused us on our customers and selling the product. We were like ferocious about charging people from day one, even if it was like £500, right? And I think that focus and working on those constraints definitely help us to get to the point where we actually found product market fit.

And I actually think that operating under the constraints that we had at the time really just focused us on our customers and selling the product. We were like ferocious about charging people from day one, even if it was like £500, right? And I think that focus and working on those constraints definitely help us to get to the point where we actually found product market fit.

And I actually think that operating under the constraints that we had at the time really just focused us on our customers and selling the product. We were like ferocious about charging people from day one, even if it was like £500, right? And I think that focus and working on those constraints definitely help us to get to the point where we actually found product market fit.