UK maker of AI avatars nearly doubles valuation to $4bn after funding round

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 3 min read 100% complete by Dan Milmo Global technology editorJanuary 26, 2026 at 10:00 AM

Read Original Article

AI Summary

medium article 3 min

Synthesia, a UK-based AI startup specializing in realistic video avatars, has nearly doubled its valuation to $4 billion after a $200 million funding round led by Google Ventures. The company creates digital avatars of people, including employees, for corporate training and communication purposes. Synthesia's clients include 70% of the FTSE 100, such as NatWest and British Gas, as well as organizations like the NHS and the UN. The new funding will support the development of avatars for employee training and skill development. While Synthesia's revenue reached $58.3 million in 2024, it reported a pre-tax loss of $59.2 million due to investments in technology, personnel, and new facilities.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

UN 40% NatWest 40% Lloyds Bank 40% British Gas 40% National Health Service (NHS) 40% European Commission 40% Sadiq Khan 50% Peter Kyle 50% FTSE 100 50% Google Ventures ×270% UK ×270% Synthesia ×790%

Keywords

ai avatars 100% valuation 90% funding round 80% artificial intelligence 70% venture capital 60% employee training 50% corporate videos 50% technology sector 40%