Tencent veteran's AI motion console raises $8.99M seed round
What's the deal? Chinese startup Chuangxiang Yuedong has raised roughly US$8.25M in a seed round for its AI-powered motion-sensing console. Backers are SkyworthDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →'s strategic investment arm and Skyworth DigitalDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →. The company has already opened a new fundraising round.
What's the endgame? Founder Liu Dan, who joined Tencent Interactive Entertainment in 2003 and worked on titles including QQ Tang and Asura , says the company is "doing the same thing as SonyDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → and NintendoDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →" — building both console hardware and a content ecosystem. Its core team comes from Tencent, ByteDance, and Alibaba.
The firm's first product, Youdoo Box, launched on July 5 this year and has sold more than 20,000 units. The console uses a camera and on-device AI to track skeletal movement, actions, and expressions, pairing with a TV to bring motion-based exercise, entertainment, and learning into the living room. Hardware prices range from roughly US$137.5 to US$412.5, with basic content free and advanced features behind a subscription.
Why now? Liu argues that children raised on phones and tablets lack the self-control to use them well, and that long screen time harms both their worldview and their eyesight. The team wants to build a device parents can trust that keeps children active while they play.
Where's the money going? The new round is earmarked for content development, expansion into Southeast Asia, offline retail distribution, and research on a next-generation product. Youdoo Box already offers nearly 40 apps and has signed licensing deals with cartoon brands including My Little Pony and Peppa Pig, targeting more than 100 apps next year.
The signal: Family motion-sensing consoles are no longer a new category — US rival Nex Playground leads overseas and last month raised more than $150 million, reaching a valuation near $1 billion. China's market remains at an early stage, making Skyworth's backing a meaningful bet on a category that has proven it can scale abroad.
Read more: leiphone.com
Image credit: Cha già José
