The 3D moodboard and Marketplace Mattoboard collects $ 2 million to launch a visual search AI
HopscotchWeb software manufacturers designed to simplify the creative process for interior architects and architects, enter AI. Tuesday, the startup announced its start -up financing cycle of $ 2 million, which will support the launch of a new feature called Design Stream, a visual research and visual discovery tool in AI.
The company’s software, a “3D Cloth“In a way, allows users to mix and match more than 1,000 virtual materials, to create mood tables and provides a centralized center to experiment with design ideas on several projects.
Although the architectural and design services industry is estimated at 201.97 billion dollars In 2024, Mattobaard said that the current product conservation method is obsolete, the designers having to order and wait for physical samples to be expected, delaying their creative process.
The designers also order many more samples than they need, contributing to the 92 million tonnes Waste generated each year by the textile industry.
With Mattoboard, users can show the digital concepts of their customers before ordering approved samples, which makes the process both faster and more efficient.
Soon, the company will add a new AI tool called “Design Stream”, allowing designers to search for specific products more effectively using natural language and visual entries.
With Design Stream, designers will be able to articulate their vision in their own words and receive recommendations adapted to their specific needs. Mattoboard plans to train its own personalized AI models specific to the design industry, as he believes that the large fundamental models currently available are too generalized.
Founded in 2022, the startup is headed by Guy Adam Ailion (CEO), architect and designer with more than 20 years of experience, recognized to design and build the premium Io House in London. Ailion is joined by George Hart (CTO), who previously co -founded Hometapper, and Sabina Khilnani (COO).
“Architects and designers waste 40% of their time looking for products and materials,” Ailion told Techcrunch. “I realized that this A&D workflow segment was ripe for disturbances and has been waiting for a long time for digital transformation. There must have been a better way to find, manage, store and organize the interior materials and products in the world. »»
A notable characteristic of Mattoboard is its use of 3D twins for materials, which simulates real life by capturing how surfaces and textures interact with light, shade and reflections. When users move around an object on the map, adjusting the angles and looking at how surfaces react, they can better understand the design aesthetics. Users can also download images from their own products to add to their 3D mood tables.
Designers often use a combination of rival platforms for their workflow, such as Canva for design, Pinterest for boarding the atmosphere and Photoshop or 3D renderings for visualization. Mattoboard aims to consolidate all these tools in a single platform while also incorporating a search function that allows users to discover and buy materials and products.
In addition, users do not need to be professionals to navigate the platform. During our tests, Techcrunch found it quite user -friendly, which makes it accessible to beginners, amateurs and students.
Since its launch, around 200,000 designers have used the free platform. Mattoboard also has a paid pro version for $ 30 / month, which is used by more than 2,000 paid designers.
The last round was led by Acrobator Ventures, with the participation of Home Depot Ventures and Masco. The new capital will also be used to extend its equipment database and associate with world suppliers in order to “bring all documents in the world online,” said Ailion.
