Czech startup ValkaAI has raised €12 million in a pre-seed funding round led by Rockaway Ventures with participation from J&T Ventures, Tensor Ventures, BD Partners and Fond Naše Česko. This round ranks as the largest pre-seed investment in Central and Eastern Europe.
ValkaAI operates teams in the United States, Europe, and the United Arab Emirates. The company’s goal is to build a world-leading AI video platform from the Czech Republic, enabling businesses to deploy digital avatars that can perform fully controlled, real-time, personalized interactions at scale.
Built on the proven track record of our founders
ValkaAI was founded by Vlastimil Venclík and Miloš Lokajíček. Venclík previously founded and scaled esports predictive technology and data infrastructure platforms Oddin.gg and Hodei.
“Today’s experience is still largely linear, just press play and watch. We believe the next step is a real-time environment that users can step into, where content is actively shaped, not just consumed.” Vlastimil Venclík, co-founder and CEO of ValkaAI, said:
Lokajíček, COO of ValkaAI, brings experience operating and scaling technology products, including AI startups. He is responsible for the company’s execution and global expansion.
The founders believe that video is moving from passive consumption to an interactive and adaptable experience.
ValkaAI aims to build technology for on-demand content, or media that is generated in real-time and tailored to a specific context. Its core product enables entertainment companies to create digital environments and AI avatars that users can actively engage with.
Early use cases: sports and esports
ValkaAI says its technology has the potential to power AI commentators and digital characters that react to live events and user actions.
“Our technology opens the door to a whole new range of applications, from interactive sports simulations to live broadcasts that are localized, personalized and responsive to specific audiences in real time.” Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer (COO) Milos Rokajczek said:
Petr Schmid, general partner at Rockaway Ventures, says the challenge is both difficult and fundamental. “ValkaAI is tackling the difficult but fundamental challenge of combining visual quality and speed with true real-time interactivity. This is more than just an application; it provides the foundation for a new generation of entertainment.”
Schmid added that the founding team was central to the investment decision. “Vlasta Venklik has a clear vision and deep technical understanding, and has already proven his ability to build global businesses and attract top talent. We believe ValkaAI has the potential to redefine the way people consume sports, esports and other forms of entertainment, creating an entirely new category.”
What is possible with investment?
Tensor Ventures’ Dan Hastík calls this technology a “groundbreaking deep technology” with potential impact far beyond entertainment.
The funding will be used to expand research and product teams, advance core technologies for real-time digital characters and AI commentators, expand computational infrastructure, and support early commercial pilots in sports and esports.
“ValkaAI is a long-term project for us. It’s not about simple hacks, it’s about building the technological foundation for a new generation of entertainment.” “The pre-seed funding will allow us to engage top-level experts in development, expand our infrastructure, and validate the first concrete use cases with strong partners.” Rokajczek added.
