Mobius Labs Secures $6M to Expand Computer Vision Solutions

Mobius Labs Secures €5.2 Million in Series A Funding

Berlin-based Mobius Labs has successfully completed a €5.2 million (~$6.1M) funding round. This investment follows a surge in demand for the company’s computer vision training platform.

The Series A investment was spearheaded by Ventech VC, with participation from Atlantic Labs, APEX Ventures, Space Capital, Lunar Ventures, and several angel investors.

A Platform for Custom Computer Vision Models

The startup provides an SDK enabling users to construct bespoke computer vision models. This is achieved by utilizing a limited amount of their own training data.

This approach offers an alternative to pre-built tools that may lack the necessary precision for specific applications.

Focus on Accessibility and Ease of Use

Mobius Labs emphasizes a “no code” approach, designing its technology with non-technical users in mind.

The platform’s architecture allows for both on-premise and on-device deployment, eliminating the need for constant cloud connectivity.

Empowering Non-Technical Users

“Our custom training user interface is remarkably straightforward,” states Appu Shaji, CEO and chief scientist.

“It requires no prior technical expertise whatsoever.”

Shaji continues, “We’ve observed that those who derive the greatest benefit from AI are often non-technical professionals, such as content managers or application managers.”

“Our no-code AI empowers anyone to create their own applications, bringing their vision to life without relying on AI specialists or development teams.”

Growth and Customer Base

Founded in 2018, Mobius Labs currently serves 30 customers across diverse use cases.

These applications include categorization, recommendation systems, predictive analytics, operational cost reduction, and enhancing the connection between users and relevant visual content.

Expanding into New Sectors

While initially focused on media, broadcasting, and stock photography, Mobius Labs is now expanding its reach.

The company is actively targeting geospatial and earth observation applications to broaden its customer base.

Scaling the Team and Operations

The 30-person startup has doubled in size over the past 18 months.

The new funding will facilitate another doubling of the headcount within the next 12 months, with a focus on expanding into Europe and the U.S.

The company has experienced 2x year-on-year growth and aims to accelerate this trajectory by entering new markets.

Leveraging Visual Data in Geospatial Applications

“We collaborate with industries that generate substantial amounts of visual data,” explains Shaji.

“The geospatial sector is a current priority, as we believe they produce vast quantities of visual data that remains largely untapped.”

“Currently, analyzing this data, such as tracking riverfront expansion via satellite imagery, is a manual process.”

“Our lightweight SDK can be deployed directly onto satellites, enabling real-time data detection and analysis using machine learning algorithms. We are actively partnering with satellite companies in this area.”

Competitive Landscape

Shaji identifies Clarifai and Google Cloud Vision as key competitors.

“We acknowledge their position as major players, but believe we offer a unique advantage.”

“Unlike their solutions, our platform is accessible to users without a background in computer vision.”

“By democratizing machine learning model training, we make computer vision understandable and usable for everyone, regardless of their role.”

Data Privacy and Security

“A core differentiator is our commitment to client data privacy.”

“Our solutions are delivered as an SDK, running on-premise and locally on client systems. No data is ever transmitted back to us.”

“Our role is to empower users to build applications and maintain complete ownership of their data.”

The Evolving Computer Vision Market

Computer vision startups have become attractive acquisition targets, with some being acquired by IT services firms to enhance their offerings.

Tech giants like Amazon and Google also provide their own computer vision services.

Positioned for Mass Adoption

Shaji believes the technology is now mature and ready for widespread adoption.

“We are focused on providing solutions that empower clients to build their own applications,” he states.

“This is achieved with complete data privacy, as our solutions run on-premise, and we do not access client data.”

“Furthermore, our technology is lightweight and can be deployed on various ‘edge’ devices, including smartphones, laptops, and even satellites.”

Ventech VC’s Perspective

Stephan Wirries, partner at Ventech VC, commented: “Appu and the team at Mobius Labs have developed an exceptional offering in the computer vision space.”

“Superhuman Vision is impressively innovative, achieving high accuracy with minimal training data and excellent computational efficiency.”

“We believe AI will transform industries, and Mobius Labs is a European deep tech innovator teaching machines to see.”