GenAI startup NeuralGarage has achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first Indian startup to win the globally renowned SXSW Pitch Competition at the prestigious SXSW conference and festival. Held annually in Austin, Texas, SXSW is a key event that celebrates the intersection of technology, film, music, education, and culture.
NeuralGarage triumphed in the "Entertainment, Media, Sports & Content" category, with its innovative technology "VisualDub." This solution addresses the challenge of visual discord in dubbed content by synchronising actors’ expressions and lip movements with dubbed audio, offering a more authentic and immersive viewing experience.
The SXSW Pitch Competition, now in its 17th year, has seen past winners raise over $23 billion in investments. The jury panel, comprising prominent members from venture capital, entertainment, and content industries, underscored the significance of this victory. "VisualDub" is positioned as a game-changer for content localisation, a longstanding issue in the entertainment sector.
SXSW has long been an important platform for creative professionals worldwide, showcasing a blend of film screenings, exhibitions, and award ceremonies. This year’s event featured A-list celebrities such as Robert Downey Jr., Matt Damon, Nicole Kidman, and many others. One of the highlights was a fireside session with Michelle Obama and the screening of Michael Bay’s documentary "We Are Storror."
Speaking about the achievement, Mandar Natekar, Co-Founder and CEO of NeuralGarage, shared: “The win is special because to win at SXSW means validation for our technology 'VisualDub' that has been built for the global entertainment industry. To be able to pitch our tech on this influential platform in front of a global community of the brightest minds in the entertainment & content business was a thrilling experience and this is a stepping stone for us to bring this technology to the world shortly.”
Founded in 2021 by Mandar Natekar, Anjan Banerjee, Subhabrata Debnath, and Subhashish Saha, NeuralGarage is developing proprietary AI models tailored to meet the stringent demands of the global entertainment industry, revolutionising the way content is created, distributed, and consumed across theatres, streaming platforms, and broadcast networks.
