Recently, a company co-founded by former Google employees Pramod Sharma and Jerome SchollerVisual AI PlatformNapkinAnnounced $10 million led by Accel and CRVFinancingThe platform aims to provide users with tools to quickly create visual content through generative AI technology to achieve more effective idea delivery and communication.
Napkin's core product is aimed at professionals such as marketers, content creators, engineers, etc. who need to sell and create content for creatives. Sharma said: "Our goal is to transform the design process into a mainly generative process, thereby minimizing the time and hassle required for design."
Users can start with text or let Napkin generate text based on prompts, and the platform will then create a canvas similar to Notion. By clicking the "spark icon" after a paragraph of text, the text will be transformed into customizable visuals, including flowcharts, graphics, infographics, and more. Users can further edit colors, fonts, and add decorative elements. The final results can be exported to multiple formats or shared as a URL.
What makes Napkin unique is its “build-first” experience. Sharma explains: “Unlike tools that add build components to existing editors, we focus on build-first, supplemented by editing capabilities.”
However, initial trials have shown that Napkin still has some limitations when dealing with complex or ambiguous content. Sometimes it generates visuals that are unrelated to the original text, or fabricates information out of thin air. In addition, its design style is relatively homogeneous, and some early users described it as "high school level."
Despite this, investors have high hopes for the Napkin team. Rich Wong of Accel said: "Jerome and Pramod have an extraordinary ability to solve technical problems and make it easy for users to get started. We are very happy to support Napkin in bringing visual AI to the next chapter of business storytelling."
Sharma said that this round of financing will be used for product development and recruiting talents such as AI engineers and graphic designers. Currently, the Napkin team has 10 employees and plans to increase to 15 by the end of the year.
As a startup, Napkin faces the challenge of further improving its products and production quality. However, with its unique positioning and experienced founding team, Napkin is expected to gain a foothold in a business environment that increasingly values visual communication.