The round was led by Round13 Capital with participation from other existing investors. Monsters Aliens Robots Zombies (MARZ), which has helped Hollywood studios produce high-quality effects for television, said the funding will be used to scale operations and accelerate its research and development of AI and machine learning technologies. (The Logic)

Talking point: COO Matt Panousis said the company’s use of AI sets it apart from other traditional VFX businesses. “VFX is not traditionally an industry that’s been attractive to venture [capital firms],” he told The Logic. Panousis said MARZ recently hired chief scientist Daniel Cohen-Or, a computer-science professor at Tel Aviv University who was considered “the most prolific professor in computer graphics globally,” according to Panousis. The company is planning to make 100 new hires with the funding. The global demand for AI talent has been strong across industries during the pandemic as businesses look to reduce costs through automation and efficiency. As my colleague Murad reported, Canadian startups have leveraged federal immigration programs to bring global workers with experience in AI.