Genies, a startup formerly known as Blend Systems that builds animated emojis that look like their users and react to popular culture and current events, has secured an additional $3 million in strategic funding and added a second pro athlete to its list of investors.
This week upon the official launch of the Genies app, Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh was named among a handful of other celebrity investors in a new round that values Genies at more than $100 million.
In June, Oklahoma City Thunder’s Russell Westbrook was the first athlete to invest. The app is also backed by NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana, as well as artists such as Shawn Mendes.
In an email to SportTechie, Suh wrote that he invested in Genies because he taken by CEO Akash Nigam’s vision to change the way people consume, communicate and share news. The app is similar to the popular emoji app Bitmoji in that it enables users to create emojis that look like them, however Genies tend to react to specific events, which can include sporting events.
Genies – NEXT GEN DIGITAL CLONES from Genies on Vimeo.
“Sports coverage is considered to be the lifeline of many local news publications across the country. Fans are really hungry for it and want to engage even more,” Suh wrote. “With Genies reacting to news in real-time, users will be able to get the latest on their favorite teams or players and share with friends in the engaging way they’re looking for.”
The Genies emojis can change expressions, moods, outfits, accessories and scenes based on current events, trends and cultural holidays, such as Taco Tuesday and Throwback Thursday.
On game day, for example, fans might be able to dress their emojis in their team’s apparel and have them react to the game in real time. Users can also add the Genies of friends or celebrities to whatever scene their emoji builds. They can then share those with friends via iMessage, Facebook Messenger, Instagram direct message, Snapchat or SMS.
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In a statement, Genies CEO Akash Nigam said Genies is looking to create a “disruptive new medium of infotainment” that he hopes makes rival Bitmoji irrelevant.
“Not only do we plan on making Bitmoji obsolete, we hope to pave the way as a new breed of media company,” he said.
Suh, meanwhile, wrote that he’s constantly on the lookout for new opportunities and is hoping to expand his portfolio of tech investments.