AI startup Shutterspeed gains Techstars backing

Startup Shutterspeed has been selected for investment by Techstars, the leading global pre-seed venture capital firm.

This development places Shutterspeed as only the third Kiwi company to receive backing from the US-based global startup network, which oversees a portfolio market cap valued at USD $116 billion.

Shutterspeed is developing an advanced AI-driven business assistant designed to assist content creators and creative professionals. The tool aims to deliver automatic, end-to-end performance metrics and tracking, a feature that co-founder Freddie McKenzie believes addresses a vital industry need.

"Henry and I have deep, specialist industry knowledge in production, and an equally large understanding of the struggles that owners in the space have," said McKenzie. "Production companies need a better way to understand how time is spent, who is spending it on what, what resources are in use, and what client needs to be billed for it all, so we decided to build Shutterspeed."

The automated performance metrics tool represents a significant milestone for New Zealand technology on the global stage. Shutterspeed’s features include automatic time tracking across various stages of production without requiring manual input. This is intended to streamline the unique and volatile workflows typical of modern digital creators.

Powered by Contextual Conversational AI, Shutterspeed enables creative professionals to view real-time data on project timelines, profit margins, and productivity. This should offer creators efficient project management capabilities. Key features of Shutterspeed include automatic time tracking for production, post-production, and revision phases, real-time budget tracking with live updates, and deadline management through notifications and dashboard tracking. The tool also integrates with industry-standard creative software, including Adobe After Effects, Premiere Pro, and Audition, with more integrations planned for software like Final Cut Pro, Photoshop, and Lightroom.

The development of Shutterspeed was rooted in the collaborative endeavour of neighbours turned co-founders, Freddie McKenzie and Henry Collinson. The tool emerged from their shared passion for technology and innovation. Shutterspeed was born out of VIVID Creative, an Auckland-based production company, and was officially launched in early 2023 under the company name Nextdoor Technologies.

Henry Collinson remarked on the challenges and opportunities involved in developing Shutterspeed: "Creativity thrives on instinct, but when powered by data, it charts a clear pathway to success. We’ve all under-quoted and underestimated a project before, and eating into your own profit margin is never nice. With Shutterspeed being fully automatic, you can simply set and forget the tracker and focus on your creative endeavours."

Collinson also highlighted the broader significance of their selection by Techstars. "We designed Shutterspeed to streamline workflows and improve pricing strategy for creative professionals and content creators. It’s a great honour to be selected by Techstars, and it’s an exciting moment for Kiwi tech startups to be recognised on the global stage."

"Our country is fast becoming a hub of innovation, and Shutterspeed is proud to be part of that movement."

Shutterspeed is currently in its pre-alpha stage. Creative professionals are invited to participate in free demo sessions to explore the capabilities of the tool.