AI-powered creative studio Wonder has raised a $12m seed round.
Since launching in 2025, Wonder has partnered with world-famous filmmakers and won investment from big-name investors and entrepreneurs, such as ElevenLabs cofounder Mati Staniszewski.
The startup was founded by chief creative officer Justin Hackney, a BAFTA-winning filmmaker and former creative director at ElevenLabs, and CEO Xavier Collins, founding partner of Lumiere Ventures, a London-based VC which specialises in acquiring intellectual property (IP) rights from action films.
London-based VC firm Atomico led the seed round, alongside existing investors LocalGlobe and Blackbird. Adobe Ventures, former Vevo chief exec Erik Huggers and the Sidemen's Upside Ventures also invested.
“Xavier and Justin have the rare combination of marketplace and community building experience, creative brilliance and technical execution capability needed to create the entertainment studio for the next generation,” says Ben Blume, partner at Atomico.
“Their incredible traction validates that the market is ready for their unique approach."
Wonder makes money by charging a service fee to producers and companies wanting to outsource production fees, with services ranging from short films to branded content, trailers and more.
In July, Wonder launched a series of four short films, each directed by a different filmmaker, exploring ideas like consciousness and simulation. More recently, the company produced the music video for Lewis Capaldi’s song “Something in the Heavens”.
