Manila-based Clout Kitchen, a consumer AI startup has secured US$4.45 million in seed funding round co-led by a16z SPEEDRUN and Peak XV’s Surge, which also saw participation from AppWorks, Antler, Hustle Fund, Founders Launchpad, Orvel Ventures, Gabby Dizon (YGG), Kun Gao (Crunchyroll), Voyboy, Jankos, and Perkz.
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Clout Kitchen hopes to use this funding round to grow its workforce, open an office in the US, and develop a common internal tech stack for creator-driven game companion applications and experiences in the future.
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“Our thesis at Clout Kitchen is to build things that grow the pie and add value for fans, creators, and game developers alike,” said Justin Banusing, CEO of Clout Kitchen. “We grew up in this space, so it’s our way of giving back.”
Clout Kitchen cook experiences that unlock infinite fun and possibilities for creators and their communities – starting in gaming. Backseat AI is an in-game buddy for League of Legends – providing real-time coaching and commentary for players in the voice and character of their favorite creators. Backseat AI was co-built and co-founded by Tyler “Tyler1” Steinkamp, one of the world’s most popular gaming content creators with over 20 million followers.
“As a creator myself, I know how difficult it is to keep your community and business growing,” said Marcel Feldkamp, CBO, Clout Kitchen. “It’s easy when you’re starting and have all the time in the world – but it gets harder to keep giving the same love to everyone as you scale. We want to solve that problem.”
About Clout Kitchen
Founded in 2024 with Headquarters in Los Angeles, California, Clout Kitchen is led by serial gaming and creator economy builders Justin Gorriceta-Banusing (CEO) and Marcel Feldkamp (CBO). Clout Kitchen builds creator-powered interactive experiences, partnering with top gaming and pop culture creators to engage in innovative new ways with their audience and grow their fandom – anytime, anywhere.
