CODE27 Raises $10M to Bring Anime and Game Characters to Life with Immersive Hardware

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Interactive character technology company CODE27 has completed consecutive seed and seed extension funding rounds totaling over $10 million from leading global venture funds. The company is building dedicated hardware for immersive virtual companion experiences, combining holographic-style display technology with real-time voice, vision, and memory capabilities to bring beloved characters from anime and games into fans' everyday lives.

Why it matters

The virtual companion space has grown rapidly, but the core challenge remains: the kind of relationship-level attachment that keeps users engaged long-term is difficult for software-only experiences to achieve. CODE27's founding thesis is that a dedicated physical device can anchor the relationship in real space and introduce sensory dimensions that screens alone cannot provide, creating a more lifelike and sustainable virtual companion experience.

The details

CODE27 is building a desktop interactive character companion device that uses holographic-style display technology to make virtual characters appear to exist in physical space. The device enables real-time multimodal interaction through voice recognition, computer vision, and long-term memory systems. The company's product strategy is built on a framework of three evolving stages in how users relate to virtual characters, from constrained app/website interactions to deeper integration where the companion participates in the physical world.

• CODE27 launched its crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter in April 2025, raising over $1.9 million.
• The company launched in the Japanese market in 2026, generating first-day sales exceeding ¥85 million (approximately $560,000 USD) and cumulative sales surpassing ¥140 million (approximately $920,000 USD).

What’s next

Looking ahead, CODE27's roadmap centers on enhancing the interactive experience through stronger conversational intelligence, richer character animation, and expanded licensed IP collaborations, while also adding practical features such as smart home control, calendar management, and third-party integrations.