In a significant development for the gaming industry, Sett, a Tel Aviv-based startup specializing in artificial intelligence (AI) agents for mobile game development, has emerged from stealth mode, announcing a substantial $27 million in funding. This funding was secured in two phases: an initial $12 million seed round followed by a $15 million Series A round led by Bessemer Venture Partners, with participation from Saga VC, Vgames, and Akin Babayigit, founder of Arcadia Gaming Advisors.
Founded in 2022 by CEO Amit Carmi and CTO Yoni Blumenfeld, Sett has been operating discreetly, focusing on refining its product and establishing a robust client base. The company’s innovative approach leverages AI to streamline the game development process, addressing one of the industry’s most pressing challenges: visibility and user acquisition in an oversaturated market.
Gaming is one of the most competitive industries in the world, Carmi stated in an interview with TechCrunch. There are a lot of players, but you actually have more games than people. It’s pretty easy to build games, but almost impossible, statistically, to make a game that is successful.
Sett’s AI-driven platform aims to alleviate this issue by automating various aspects of game development, thereby reducing costs and time-to-market. By integrating AI agents into the development pipeline, Sett enables studios to focus more on creative elements and less on the technical complexities traditionally associated with game creation.
The company’s client roster includes prominent names such as Zynga, Scopely, Playtika, SuperPlay, Rovio, Plarium, Candivore, and Unity. With over 100 gaming studios on a waiting list to be onboarded, Sett plans to utilize the new funding to expand its team, particularly in engineering and AI specialties, to meet the growing demand for its services.
The emergence of Sett coincides with a broader trend in the gaming industry, where AI is increasingly being integrated into various facets of game development. This includes the creation of more dynamic non-player characters (NPCs), procedural content generation, and enhanced player engagement strategies.
For instance, companies like Artificial Agency have secured significant funding to develop AI-powered behavior engines that enable NPCs to exhibit more realistic and varied behaviors, moving beyond traditional scripted interactions. Similarly, Series Entertainment has raised substantial capital to develop the Rho Engine, an AI-native, full-stack game creation platform designed to streamline the development process by handling both visual and audio components of game creation.
Sett’s approach aligns with these industry movements, focusing on leveraging AI to address the challenges of user acquisition and market visibility. By automating and optimizing the development process, Sett aims to empower game studios to produce high-quality games more efficiently, thereby increasing their chances of success in a highly competitive market.
The company’s emergence from stealth mode and the substantial funding it has secured underscore the growing recognition of AI’s potential to transform the gaming industry. As AI technologies continue to evolve, their integration into game development processes is likely to become increasingly prevalent, offering new opportunities for innovation and efficiency.
In conclusion, Sett’s innovative use of AI agents in mobile game development represents a significant step forward in addressing some of the industry’s most pressing challenges. With strong financial backing and a growing list of clients, the company is well-positioned to make a substantial impact on the future of game development.
