Medal, a prominent startup recognized for its video game clipping product, recently secured $13 million in funding at a $333 million valuation from various investors, including Horizons Ventures, OMERS Ventures, peak6, and Arcadia Investment Partners.
The company also introduced Highlight, a novel cross-platform desktop app that serves as a contextual AI assistant for users. This app captures on-screen content and enables users to engage with a Large Language Model (LLM) based on that context.
Henry Gladwyn, a partner at OMERS Ventures, expressed to TechCrunch the significance of leveraging Medal’s technology for LLMs, emphasizing its evolution from a simple video clipping tool.
He identified Medal as a platform for capturing memorable moments in virtual life, rather than just a gaming entity, with the Highlight app being a logical extension of that philosophy.
How does Highlight work?
Highlight strives to provide a useful on-screen assistant for desktop users, focusing on capturing contextual information and enabling interaction with different models and tools for enhanced user experience.
The app automates some questions based on user context, with local content capture and privacy as key features. Further development includes a ChatGpt-like assistant for localized tasks.
In addition to on-screen content, Highlight supports document and audio context, offering possibilities for transcription and other audio-related functionalities.
Building Highlight
Pim de Witte, a co-founder of Medal, discussed the company’s vision to integrate AI with clip capture technology to create a versatile platform for users of all ages, enhancing daily activities with contextual prompt suggestions.
Highlight aims to serve as an open platform for developers to deploy their apps, bridging the gap between users and innovative interfaces on both Mac and Windows systems.
By maintaining platform independence and prioritizing user experience, Highlight positions itself as a unique and valuable tool for users seeking efficient assistance without ecosystem limitations.
The path ahead
While continuing to support their flagship product, Medal.tv, the company is focusing on expanding Highlight’s capabilities and exploring monetization through an app store model and premium subscriptions.
To foster app development, the company is offering grants to developers and engaging with the developer community to enhance the Highlight ecosystem.
