AI-driven webtoon short animation startup Blackbox Studio (Blackbox), has secured seed investment from Bluepoint Partners and ATP Ventures. The company has also been selected for the TIPS (Tech Incubator Program for Startups) by the Korean Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS), securing $375,000 (KRW 500 million) in R&D funding.  

Blackbox is developing an AI-powered solution that converts webtoon illustrations into short animations. With just a few original webtoon or illustration images, the technology seamlessly connects characters and backgrounds, creating smooth scene transitions and motion.  

Compared to traditional animation production, Blackbox significantly reduces production time while allowing webtoon artists and illustrators to easily create and distribute animated content. The company aims to serve both B2B, such as studios, and B2C, including individual creators.  

The global OTT and short-form video platform market is experiencing double-digit annual growth, while secondary content production based on webtoon IP is also gaining traction.  

Blackbox plans to use the investment and TIPS grant to enhance its AI engine, establish a streamlined content production pipeline, expand into overseas markets including China, Southeast Asia, and North America, and build strategic partnerships.  

Jongmin Lee, CEO of Blackbox, stated, “We will make the most of this investment and R&D funding to introduce a more advanced webtoon animation automation solution. Starting in the second half of the year, we plan to launch our short animation production service and actively pursue B2B collaborations with enterprises and studios.”