Mobile software startup Geenee lands $7M seed round to accelerate mobile image recognition and WebAR growth

Geenee, a mobile software startup that helps portable devices see the world around them through lightweight and robust image and video recognition, has closed $7 million seed round to accelerate the company’s go-to-market strategy and the introduction of additional product offerings. The round was led by IDI Partners, with participation from other early stage companies.

Founded in 2014 by Andrew Rogal, Philipp Holzschneider, and Thorsten Magers, the Berlin, Germany-based Geenee helps brands engage their audiences. The startup provides rich mobile results through a scalable, web-based platform with no downloaded app required. They’re working to make accessing content, stories and information directly from the world around you easy, rewarding, and meaningful.

Geenee helps brands and agencies unlock new revenue opportunities by enabling consumers to recognize, engage, and shop the physical world around them. Using its patented, browser-based image and video recognition, Geenee’s technology allows portable devices to trigger rich, contextual content and e-commerce at the moment of inspiration.

The investment round follows a successful year of new partnerships with global brands and agencies including Warner Bros., Publicis and Miller Lite. Geenee’s technology most recently powered an ongoing international campaign for Warner Bros.’ release of IT Chapter 2.

“We are making the physical world around us easily recognizable with mobile, browser-based technology. By combining powerful image and video recognition, WebAR and creative services, we are unlocking new revenue opportunities that never previously existed,” said Sandro Christen, CEO of Geenee, in announcing the capital raise. Christen noted that the company intends to close at least another $6 million in the coming months in a Series Seed+ round.