Rooms: Empowering Creativity with 3D Design
In an exciting development for tech enthusiasts and creatives, Rooms—a groundbreaking 3D design app—has secured $1 million in funding from a familiar name, Google. This innovative platform, launched into beta in 2023 by a team of former Google employees, offers users the unique opportunity to build interactive 3D rooms and mini-games.
With a rich library of over 10,000 items and the ability to edit using Lua programming language, Rooms is more than just a creative tool; it’s an introduction to coding. This recent investment marks a significant step in the company’s journey, providing early access to Google’s Gemini AI for further development.
Founded by ex-Googlers Jason Toff, Bruno Oliveira, and Nick Kruge—experts in AR/VR and gaming—the app presents a TikTok-like vertical browsing experience for these digital spaces. Users can express their creativity through digital art, which can then be remixed by others.
“The potential for storytelling within Rooms is expanding,” says Toff in an interview with TechCrunch.
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Recent trends show creators moving from simple rooms to larger spaces with added animation and interactivity. A notable example is user deodqueen, who transitioned from standard rooms to creating expansive environments.
The app’s latest update, version 3.0 released on November 26, 2024, introduces an ‘Actions Editor’ that breathes life into rooms without requiring coding skills. This is set to evolve further with Gemini’s text-to-speech capabilities allowing characters to speak in various tones—whether angry, calm, or enthusiastic—thanks to Gemini 2.0 Flash integration.
Things, Inc., the company behind Rooms, proudly announced surpassing one million rooms built on the platform. The inventory now boasts over 10,000 items for designing digital spaces—a significant increase from April 2024’s count of 7,500.
While specific user engagement metrics remain undisclosed, Rooms has grown to a robust community of registered users. The recent funding was structured as a SAFE deal with potential for Google’s future investment in the startup’s Series A round.
- Previous seed funding: $10 million from Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) and others
- Available platforms: Web and iOS
- Current monetization status: Not yet introduced
This partnership with Google not only strengthens Rooms’ market position but also opens doors for enhancing user experiences through cutting-edge AI technologies. As Rooms continues to innovate, it stands as a testament to the power of blending creativity with technology.
