D-ID acquires Berlin-based video startup Simpleshow

D-ID, a prominent player in video generation and editing, announced on Tuesday its acquisition of Simpleshow, a B2B video creation platform based in Berlin. The details regarding the financial aspects of the acquisition remain undisclosed. Under D-ID’s management, Simpleshow’s offerings will be integrated, with plans for a full merger of the two platforms, as articulated by D-ID's CEO, Gil Perry, during an interview with TechCrunch. Founded in 2008, Simpleshow has successfully secured over $20 million in funding, according to Crunchbase. The company operates out of multiple locations, including Berlin, Luxembourg, London, Miami, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Tokyo. Following the merger, D-ID will streamline operations with consolidated offices in Berlin, Tel Aviv, and the United States. While the exact number of Simpleshow’s employees has not been disclosed, the new entity is projected to employ around 140 individuals. Initially, Simpleshow approached D-ID for a strategic partnership, but both companies recognized a strong synergy between their management teams and products. Perry emphasized the need to accelerate their efforts to capture a significant share of the enterprise avatar video market, believing that acquiring Simpleshow would provide the necessary momentum. Both organizations are optimistic about the future of digital avatars across various video applications, including training, marketing, and sales. D-ID already offers a suite of AI-driven interactive avatars to its clients. Simpleshow CEO, Karsten Boehrs, reflected on his time with the company, noting that it transitioned from a video production agency to a SaaS-based tech platform to meet international demand. The launch of a text-to-video tool in 2017 marked a significant step in this direction. Boehrs mentioned that recent advancements in AI prompted discussions with several companies, including Sythesia, before ultimately deciding on a partnership with D-ID for the acquisition. In addition to its innovative product, Simpleshow brings along a robust client portfolio of over 1,500 enterprises, including major names like Adobe, Airbus, Microsoft, and Deutsche Bank. Perry highlighted that this acquisition will enhance D-ID’s financial performance and pave the way toward profitability. Looking ahead, D-ID aims to develop interactive training videos that allow users to engage by asking questions or taking quizzes while watching an avatar-presented video. However, the company faces stiff competition from other enterprises like Sythesia and Soul Machine, as well as tech giants such as Google and McKinsey, who are also exploring digital avatar solutions. To date, D-ID has raised a total of $60 million in funding, which will support the acquisition, although the specific funding details were not revealed.