Pickle, a Silicon Valley-based AI startup, has joined Y Combinator‘s 2025 Winter batch and secured pre-seed funding from NFX. Founded in September 2024, Pickle first received backing from Krew Capital. 

The startup aims to simplify communication with its personalized real-time lip-syncing clone service tailored for platforms like Zoom and Google Meet. This technology allows participants to engage in video calls without turning on their cameras, using an AI-generated avatar that mirrors their own facial expressions and movements in real-time.

Since launching its open beta in October 2024, Pickle has attracted over 1,000 paying clients globally within just three months, 70% of whom are based in the U.S. Professionals from major IT firms such as Amazon, Microsoft, Google, and Zoom form its primary user base, underscoring the appeal and effectiveness of its innovative technology.

Pickle plans to officially launch its service in March. It was chosen for the W25 batch due to its cutting-edge technology, and it has gained recognition from Y Combinator, a leading global startup accelerator.

NFX, a top-tier Silicon Valley VC firm with over $1.5 billion AUM, invests in startups that utilize network effects. Known for backing successful companies like DoorDash and Lyft, NFX supports startups from early stages to market entry. James Currier, an expert in network effects, focuses on helping founding teams expand.

Pickle CEO Park Chae-geun remarked, “Video conferencing has become a global standard in IT professionals’ daily routines, used by over 500 million people.” He further noted, “This pre-seed investment enables us to address various challenges in video conferencing and develop clones that can even articulate personal thoughts, aiming to expand human communication a hundredfold.”