Bootloader Studio, a first-of-its-kind startup pioneering a new kind of experience at the intersection of affective AI and spatial computing, today emerged from stealth with the vision, funding, and clear path to develop emotionally-driven AI that can read and respond to human emotion.

Bootloader Studio also announced that it has raised $5M in seed funding, led by Antler Elevate. The Bootloader Studio team brings together expertise in entertainment (film, video games) and AI to create a wholly new virtual and interactive experience. The funding will be used to expand the Bootloader Studio team and go to market with its first consumer product, slated to launch later this year on Apple Vision Pro spatial computing device.

May 23, 2024
Singapore and Ho Chi Minh City

"Technology can completely transform human behavior, from the personal computer to the web browser to the smartphone to generative AI, and innovation has reshaped the way we interact and connect with the world around us. But we have reached a new inflection point."

Humans are also more emotionally disconnected than ever, longing for meaningful interactions instead of continuous scrolling for digitally-induced dopamine hits. Bootloader Studio is pioneering a new, connective experience, leveraging affective AI and spatial computing to once again transform how humans interact with technology. We imagine a future where humans and technology interact naturally, creating new points of rewarding connection and emotional engagement and we’re making it a reality.

Bryan Pelz

CEO and founder of Bootloader Studio

Bootloader Studio is creating breakthrough technology that reads and responds to human emotion to create two-way engagement. Now possible due to the availability of personal spatial computing and augmented reality tools, affective AI unlocks the next frontier of technological transformation by bringing emotional intelligence to generative AI.

“Just as generative AI was built and trained upon the written words of the world, affective AI will learn from and analyze the nuanced emotional reactions that make up the human experience,” said Pelz. “Bootloader Studio, through our affective AI, will allow technology to interact with people as the biological beings that they are, as opposed to just responding to commands on a keyboard. It’s an exciting mission that we’re honored to lead.”

Bootloader Studio’s approach to affective AI will unlock a new frontier of individual emotional models representative of how users may engage with new technology in the future. As such, Bootloader Studio has put privacy and consumer protections at the heart of development.

“Affective AI is a deeply personal advancement in technology, and so it is vital that the user remains in control of their data, experience, and how it is used,” Pelz said. “People, not the affective AI, must always come first and drive these emotion-powered experiences in augmented reality. Bootloader Studio is instituting industry-leading protections to ensure individuals are protected.”

"We believe that AR technology combined with the advances in affective AI creates an enormous opportunity that is only just beginning to emerge. Bryan and the team at Bootloader Studio not only have a strong technical foundation but also possess the tremendous vision to be hugely successful. We are extremely excited with what they are building and the potential it has to reshape this nascent industry"

Fady Abdel-Nour

Partner, Antler Elevate

Bootloader Studio is working towards a future where it will provide privacy-protected, user-owned emotional models that will forever change how humans can choose to interact with technology and others.

Trained and held by each user, Bootloader Studio’s personal emotional profile will eventually allow each user to tell businesses, doctors, friends, and more their preferences for personalized interactions and improve the overall customer or user experience spanning entertainment, commerce, physical and wellness, and more.

About Bootloader Studio

Bootloader Studio is a first-of-its-kind company pioneering a new experience around the next generation of artificial intelligence that reads and responds to human emotion. Based in Singapore and Ho Chi Minh City, Bootloader Studio’s mission is to revolutionize digital interaction through affective AI by creating systems that understand and respond to human emotions in a meaningful way.

About Antler

Antler is the investor backing the world’s most driven founders, from day zero to greatness. Founded on the belief that people innovating is the key to building a better future, we partner with people across six continents to launch and scale high-potential startups that address meaningful opportunities and challenges. Knowing that exceptional founders can come from anywhere with any background, we have offices in 30 locations, including Austin, New York, London, Berlin, Stockholm, Bangalore, Jakarta, Singapore, Seoul, Tokyo, and Sydney.

Our global community backs people from the beginning with co-founder matching, deep business model validation, initial capital, expansion support, and follow-on funding. Fueled by a personal passion that goes beyond traditional investing, we have helped create and invested in more than 1,050 startups across a wide range of industries and technologies, with the goal of backing more than 6,000 by 2030.