Porto-based startup Didimo wants to take digital humans beyond video games

Didimo, a Porto-based deep tech startup, has built its growth on the gaming industry by developing advanced technology for creating digital humans, but is now preparing to expand into new sectors. According to CEO and founder Verónica Orvalho, the company aims to replicate its successful model in areas such as training and simulation, including healthcare and autonomous driving, where immersive environments are becoming increasingly important.

The company’s technology is the result of more than a decade of research in computer graphics, machine learning and facial animation. Since its foundation in 2016, Didimo has refined a platform that enables the fast and automated creation of high-quality 3D avatars, helping studios overcome one of the biggest bottlenecks in game development: character creation. Its Popul8 platform can generate thousands of unique characters almost instantly, without compromising quality or artistic direction.

Initially focused on realistic human avatars, Didimo’s technology now supports the creation of fantasy creatures, cartoons and animals, and is already being used by studios such as Electric Square, Colossal Order and Playable Worlds. The company believes its main competition is not other startups, but traditional studio workflows that are slower and more costly.

Looking ahead, Didimo is exploring new business models, including user-generated content tools for the artistic community, where a pilot project is already underway. Verónica Orvalho highlights that many industries are converging in their needs for immersive technology, and that Didimo’s ability to generate large-scale, diverse virtual populations could become a key asset in the data-driven virtual worlds of the future.