Filipino AI startup Clout Kitchen raised $4.45 M from a16z SPEEDRUN, others

Clout Kitchen, a consumer AI startup based in Manila and Los Angeles, revealed the details of its $4.45 million seed funding round.

As per the statement, a16z SPEEDRUN and Peak XV’s Surge co-led the round, which also included participation from Taiwan’s AppWorks, Antler, Hustle Fund, Founders Launchpad, Orvel Ventures, and creators and founders like Gabby Dizon (YGG), Kun Gao (Crunchyroll), Voyboy, Jankos, and Perkz.

Clout Kitchen, which was founded in 2024, creates interactive games and pop culture experiences powered by creators, giving top creators new avenues for fan engagement.

Builders of the creator economy and serial gamers lead Clout Kitchen.

During his college years, Justin Gorriceta-Banusing (CEO) founded and grew AcadArena, the leading campus gaming platform in Southeast Asia and Latin America, to series A and eventual exit. They created the largest creator event in Southeast Asia, CONQuest Festival, in high school; it draws over 80,000 people annually.

A key League of Legends player and creator who participated in the 2013 World Championship was Marcel Feldkamp (CBO). Following his retirement, he started Prime, a gaming talent agency, which eventually joined United Talent Agency through Press X.

The first product from Clout Kitchen is Backseat AI, a League of Legends in-game “buddy” that was co-developed with Tyler “Tyler1” Steinkamp, one of the biggest gaming content creators in the world with over 20 million followers.

Backseat AI, an AI voice twin of their favorite creator, is compliant with Riot standards and provides real-time gameplay guidance to players, including advice on which characters to choose and what goods to purchase. More than 45,000 people have signed up for the product’s waitlist since it began early access testing in June.

“Our thesis at Clout Kitchen is to build things that grow the pie and add value for fans, creators, and game developers alike,” said Justin Banusing, CEO, Clout Kitchen. “We grew up in this space, so it’s our way of giving back.”

With the help of this funding round, Clout Kitchen hopes to grow Backseat by hiring more people, setting up shop in the US, and developing a common internal tech stack for upcoming creator-driven game companion experiences and apps.

“As a gamer and a creator myself, I’m excited to support Justin and Team Clout Kitchen in their journey to unlock new frontiers for our community,” said Jamie Lin, Chairman & Partner, AppWorks,“ Justin and the founding team showcased exceptional hearts, heads and hands from the moment we met them, the very traits we look for in founders.”

“At a16z, we believe in the transformative power of technology and games to reshape how we connect, create, and experience the world. Clout Kitchen embodies this vision wholly, and we are thrilled to support their journey as they pioneer new ways for fans to engage with the creators and games they love,” said Jack Soslow, Investment Partner, A16Z GAMES.