Black-Owned Startup Raises $14M For App That Lets Your AI Avatar Try On Real Clothes
Fashion-tech startup Doji raised $14 million in seed funding, days after publicly launching on the App Store. Techcrunch reports that the funding led by Thrive Capital, with participation from Seven Seven Six Ventures, will be used to upgrade Doji’s AI models.
“At Doji we’re building the most personal way to shop for fashion online. Create your photorealistic AI likeness and try on real clothes. Doji is designed to encourage play – helping you feel confident, explore new looks and find pieces you’ll love,” Doji’s founder, Dorian Dargan, said on LinkedIn.
What is Doji?
Doji is an AI app that allows users try on clothes virtually. Users upload selfies and full-body images to create personalized avatars. The app suggests looks based on popular brands and lets users play around with different clothes, using its own diffusion models for a more realistic experience. Doji differs from traditional e-commerce as it prioritizes fun and community.
It was founded last year by Dorian Dargan and Jim Winkens. The app is a combination of their names.
Dargan previously worked at Apple on VisionOS and at Meta on games and experiences for Oculus Quest. Winkens worked on a generative AI-based consumer product at Google and was also a researcher at DeepMind.
Is the app available to use?
Doji is currently invite-only, but it is live in over 80 countries, according to TechCrunch. Generating a personalized avatar takes around 30 minutes, and users can even upload links to external apparel to see how an item might look on them.
The app is still tweaking features like fit prediction and in-app purchases. However, the initial response has been keen. Doji plans to use the funding to enhance the speed and accuracy of its AI, increase avatar realism, and integrate buying functionality in due time.
Image: Doji
