Pixels

Project GENIE: Generative Interactive Environments from Pixels

The newsletter discusses the limits of text-based LLMs and argues that scaling from models like GPT-2 to GPT-4 forced models to build internal 'world models' to predict tokens. It identifies a bandwidth constraint in text and suggests video and interactive streams are the next stage. 'Project GENIE' is introduced as a Generative Interactive Environment (GIE): a foundation model designed for agency and real-time simulation rather than passive video generation. The piece contrasts GIEs with traditional video generators (e.g., Sora), framing Project GENIE as enabling embodied, agent-driven experiences where a model hallucinates responsive environments in real time.

Proper Sports Media Boosts Creator Economy with Pixels Partnership

Proper Sports Media, the sports division of Kipling House Investments, announced a strategic investment in and partnership with Pixels, a creator platform. The deal aims to accelerate Pixels’ distribution of creator content across TV, web, and digital out-of-home, expand market reach, and deliver scalable, data-driven solutions for the growing creator economy. The creator economy is forecast to reach USD 480 billion by 2027. Alex Olds, director of digital at Proper Sports Media, described the investment as leveraging their creator network and in-house production capabilities to maximize opportunity and ROI across touchpoints. Pixels’ CEO Alex Powell highlighted momentum from a recent collaboration with Index Exchange and the joint potential with Proper Sport Media to provide tailored content solutions with measurable engagement and ROI in a rapidly expanding market.

DoubleVerify Backs London Venture Fund for AdTech Innovation

DoubleVerify, the US-listed AdTech company, disclosed an investment in First Party Capital, a London-based venture fund focused on Adtech, Martech, and Digital Media startups. First Party Capital was founded in 2021 by Rich Ashton and unites roughly 200 business angels, having backed 17 companies across six countries with about $17 million invested to date. The fund concentrates on Early-Stage opportunities, with emphasis on Identity and Privacy, emerging advertising channels, Adtech infrastructure, and automation. The investment amount from DoubleVerify was not officially disclosed; Digiday reports it as around $1 million. The leadership of First Party Capital includes Rich Ashton, with involvement from figures such as Ciarán O’Kane (Exchangewire), Kevin Flood, and Sonal Patel (IAB). DoubleVerify has pursued Adtech investments since 2023 and has spent over $200 million on acquisitions, including $125 million for Scibids and $85 million for Rockerbox.