AI Startup Odyssey Raises Millions to Build Cinematic Worlds Using Backpack Cameras
Odyssey uses a heavy, sensor-packed backpack camera system to capture real-world environments and train generative AI models for creators. The startup recently raises $18 million in Series A funding to scale its unique data collection operations.
A startup named Odyssey captures real-world environments by strapping heavy, sensor-packed cameras to people's backs. Founded by self-driving veterans Oliver Cameron and Jeff Hawke, the company uses a 25-pound rig equipped with six cameras, two lidar sensors, and an inertial measurement unit to record 360-degree, "3.5K resolution" footage with physics-accurate depth data.
Odyssey feeds this highly detailed data into generative AI algorithms to create digital reconstructions of forests, caves, beaches, and buildings. The company develops multiple AI models that generate layered visual details like object geometry, lighting, and motion, combining them into complete virtual worlds that give creators precise control over cinematic scenes.
The startup raises $18 million in a Series A funding round led by EQT Ventures to scale its data collection efforts in California. While the company plans to expand globally, it faces the ongoing challenge of navigating privacy concerns as it collects vast amounts of visual data from public spaces.