Bengaluru-based Demoverse has raised $600,000 in a pre-seed funding round led by gaming and interactive media investor Lumikai, as the startup develops an AI-powered platform for consumer-led product creation. Lumikai invested $500,000 through its Pixels pre-seed program, while UAE-based investor-operator Marlan and a group of angel investors also participated in the round. The financing will support Demoverse as it develops its platform, expands its community, and builds its presence in markets including the United States.
Turning Consumers Into Product Co-Creators
Founded in 2026 by Akshay Mehta, Demoverse is building a platform designed to bring consumers directly into the process of creating products rather than limiting their role to feedback after development. Brands can publish a product concept with defined design parameters, after which consumers use AI tools to modify, refine, and propose alternative versions. The wider community can then vote on preferred designs, giving brands an additional signal about consumer preferences before committing products to manufacturing.
Demoverse describes this model as a shift from user-generated content, or UGC, toward what it calls user-generated products, or UGP. Instead of consumers simply creating content around a brand, the platform allows them to participate in shaping the products themselves and potentially earn royalties when their contributions influence a design that is commercialized. The approach combines generative AI, community participation, and consumer preference data in an effort to make product development more collaborative.
Addressing Product Demand Uncertainty
The startup is initially focusing on fashion, a sector where brands routinely need to make production decisions before knowing precisely which designs consumers will ultimately purchase. Demoverse aims to provide companies with an earlier indication of customer preferences by allowing potential buyers to engage with product concepts before production begins. The company intends to expand the model beyond fashion into additional consumer categories as its technology and brand relationships develop.
Demoverse has already conducted early trials with brands in India and is working to convert these initial engagements into commercial campaigns. Alongside its offering for brands, the company is developing a consumer-facing application intended to encourage broader participation in product design and community voting. Proceeds from the pre-seed round are expected to help the startup strengthen its product, grow its design community, and support its planned US go-to-market efforts.
Lumikai Backs AI-Enabled Co-Creation
Lumikai said its investment reflects a broader view that generative AI is significantly lowering the cost and complexity of creating new product concepts while increasing the number of possible designs. As supply and creative output expand, the investor argues that understanding what consumers actually want becomes an increasingly important challenge for brands. Demoverse is positioning its platform as a way to connect AI-enabled creation with direct consumer participation and preference signals.
Lumikai Founder and Managing Partner Salone Sehgal said the startup addresses the gap between the growing ability to generate products and the need to identify meaningful customer demand. The investment was made through Pixels, Lumikai's program focused on supporting early-stage companies operating across interactive media and related technology categories. The fund's backing places Demoverse within a wider group of startups exploring how AI can change the relationship between digital communities, creativity, and commerce.
Founder Experience and Expansion Plans
Mehta brings experience spanning investing, consulting, and technology-related operating roles, including work at Bain, Z47, and Asia Alternatives. Lumikai also highlighted his involvement in developing the UAE's first commercial-scale satellite manufacturing facility, an experience that contributed to his interest in how advanced technology could broaden participation in product creation. Demoverse is also part of NVIDIA's Inception program, which supports startups developing technologies built around accelerated computing and AI.
Demoverse's $600,000 pre-seed round gives the company fresh capital to test whether AI-assisted community design can become a practical tool for consumer brands seeking stronger signals before launching products. By combining generative design tools, voting, and potential royalty participation, the startup is attempting to move consumers further upstream in the traditional product-development process. Its next phase will center on converting early trials into commercial adoption, strengthening its platform, and expanding the model beyond its initial fashion focus.