Amitabh Bachchan-backed Ikonz unveils AI Avatar of Sourav Ganguly, plans to raise $20-25 million in series A funding

Ikonz, a new-age digital startup supported by Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan, is aiming to earn 50 million dollars in revenue over the next three years. The Hyderabad-based company, currently valued at around Rs 800–900 crore, is also planning to raise 20–25 million dollars through Series A funding to help it grow faster.

Started four years ago, Ikonz creates exclusive digital rights for celebrities, allowing them to build AI-powered "digital twins." These lifelike virtual versions of stars can be used in ads, events, and fan interactions — without the celebrity actually being there in person.

AI twins, global deals, and 24/7 celeb engagement

“We will grow exponentially from here,” said founder and CEO Abinav Varma Kalidindi, brimming with confidence. “Amitabh Bachchan is not just an investor, but a strategic partner. We’re also finalizing a deal with a global talent agency that manages over 60 per cent of celebrities across entertainment and sports.”

Ikonz has already begun mapping celebrity personas with proprietary technology to create interactive avatars. These AI-powered digital twins come equipped with language localization and pre-scripted guardrails — ensuring brands can use them freely while safeguarding the celebrity’s image.

Kalidindi emphasised that even after the Series A funding and new partnerships, he will retain the largest controlling stake in the company.

Cricket icons and holographic realities

The company showcased its cutting-edge innovation on Thursday by unveiling the AI avatar of cricket legend Sourav Ganguly in Kolkata. This launch follows the earlier debut of Amitabh Bachchan’s digital twin for IDFC First Bank.

It is Ikonz's one-of-a-kind holographic extended reality (HXR) platform that gives power to such avatars, merging motion capture with artificial intelligence and real-time interactions. With such capabilities, the digital avatars can appear in different locations, speak local languages, and interact with audiences 24x7.

Potential applications for these AI avatars are vast: interactive fan meetups, brand endorsements, podcasts, metaverse activations, sports coaching, even educational modules. “With our growing pool of celebrity IPs and a cutting-edge tech stack, we’re in a prime position to lead in the digital influence economy,” said Kalidindi.

Ikonz's initial backers include Village Global: a capital firm boosted by minds of the stature of Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, and Mark Zuckerberg. With major fundraisings coming ahead and a celebrity avatar roster growing rapidly, Ikonz is being formed as a global player in the AI-led digital future.

(With inputs from PTI)