Announcing Our Pre-Seed Led By A16Z Speedrun

Today, we’re excited to announce that Darwin has raised pre-seed funding from A16Z Speedrun to take the next steps toward our goal of making media truly interactive and personal.

At Darwin, we see stories as dynamic experiences, ones that can evolve and adapt to individual viewers rather than follow a fixed path. Traditional media was built for passive consumption, with content flowing in one direction—from creator to audience. But we’re building a new type of media, where our technology enables stories to respond in real time, allowing viewers to shape the narrative as they engage with it.

Our first project, Wayve, is an experiment in this direction, transforming online videos into interactive experiences. With Wayve I, viewers can change elements on the spot: adjusting the setting, influencing characters’ choices, and modifying the tone as they watch. This isn’t just about adding options; it’s about building a media framework where each viewer’s choices create a unique experience, while still connecting to a shared storyline. We know this is just the start, and we’re committed to creating as many media and social experiences as possible, learning from each one to drive forward what interactive media can be.

With the support of a16z Speedrun, we’re accelerating the development of Wayve and setting the stage for future projects that will push interactive media to new heights. There’s a lot of work ahead, but we’re excited to share this journey with all of you as we bring this vision to life.