Today, Genies, Inc., the startup formerly known as Blend Systems, Inc., announced the launch of its new app called Genies. The new rollout allows users to create personalizable look-alike and expressive emojis that react to relevant daily happenings in real-time - ranging from breaking news (politics, sports, pop culture) to cultural holidays (Hump Day, Sunday Funday, National Pet Day, etc.).

Along with the launch of the app, Genies announces the closing of an additional $3 million in strategic funding from influential investors to support the rollout. Currently, Genies, Inc. is valued at over $100 Million.

Powered by the startup's in-house animation AI platform, a user's Genie reacts to pieces of news by changing its expression, outfit, environment and props. The app is preloaded with hundreds of thousands of body, facial and style combinations for users to create mini clones of themselves that interact with their friends' Genies. Genies will update and react around 10-15 times per day and can be shared via iMessage, Facebook Messenger, Instagram direct message, Snapchat and SMS. Users also have the option to add friends into their "scene."

"We're fundamentally changing the way people consume and share news by creating a disruptive new medium of infotainment," stated Akash Nigam, CEO at Genies. "Our team has been working on this technology for more than a year. Not only do we plan on making Bitmoji obsolete, we hope to pave the way as a new breed of media company."

Use Case Example 1:
In the event that Snap, Inc. is launching a new product and the stock is trading positively, your Genie dresses itself in Snapchat apparel and Spectacles, holds an upwards trending stocks chart while running down Wall Street with an enthusiastic expression. Users will then be able to share their Genie with optional add-on text through its multi-compatible messaging platforms.


Use Case Example 2:
Expanding beyond traditional news, your Genie will give you the option to engage with pop culture references and cultural holidays in real-time. Participating in #TacoTuesday? Your Genie will be waiting for you sporting a bib, taco and margarita in-hand with additional options to share. Users will also have the ability to add multiple friend's Genies into a scene, which enables interactivity and digital engagement with one another.

Genies, Inc. has a roster of investors including NEA, CAA Ventures, Foundation Capital, Lerer Ventures, Trinity Ventures, Russell Westbrook, Management 360, and Former CEO of Legendary Pictures, Thomas Tull. Along with the additions of Mendes and Westbrook, Genies welcomes new strategic investors including Cameron Dallas, Jake Paul, Ndamukong Suh, Worldwide Wes, Macro Ventures (Adrian Fenty and Charles King), TGZ Capital and many more influential individuals from similar walks of life.

For more information or to create your own Genie, please visit http://www.genies.la. You can also find a video demo of the app here - https://vimeo.com/241197693/afc22bd1c8.

App links:
· https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/genies/id606291833?mt=8
· https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=la.genies.android

ABOUT GENIES, INC.
Genies Inc. is a media and technology company that's disrupting the way millennials and gen z consume and share news. Formerly known as Blend, Genies is based in Los Angeles with offices in San Francisco and Bucharest, Romania. The company employs over 30 people and has raised over $15M capital from top-tier investors including Andrew Gertler, Arab Angel Investments, BoxGroup, CAA Ventures, Canvas Ventures, Compound Ventures, Foundation Capital, Galvanize, GM of the Philadelphia Eagles, Great Oaks Venture Capital, Jack and Jack, Jared Morgenstern, Lerer Ventures, Liquid 2 Ventures, Macro Ventures, Management 360, Maveron, NEA, RedSea Ventures, Russell Westbrook, Shawn Mendes, Sparklabs Global Ventures, Techinvest, TGZ Capital, Thomas Tull, Trinity Ventures, Triplepoint Capital, Visionnaire Ventures, and XG Ventures. The app is available on iOS and Android.