Obello, a San Francisco-based AI graphic design platform founded by design leaders behind global brands such as Apple, DoorDash, Nike, Netflix, and Instagram, has raised $8.5 million in new seed funding led by Obvious Ventures. The round included continued participation from Baukunst as well as contributions from AVV and Preview Ventures, bringing the company’s total funding to $9.5 million.
Ben Pham and Ollie Ralph founded the company, the creative duo who previously built and sold the award-winning design agency Character to Dentsu. Their experiences working with fast-growing companies and world-renowned brands revealed the increasing pressure on design and marketing teams to deliver consistent, high-quality creative across a rapidly expanding set of digital channels. This pressure often results in overwhelming production workloads, off-brand assets, and limited time for strategic creative work.
Obello addresses those challenges with a platform designed to help teams cost-effectively scale on-brand content creation. At the center of the product is the Generative Layout Assistant Model, or GLAM, which the company describes as the only AI engine capable of intelligent one-click resizing and adaptive design. Unlike the template-focused resizing tools in other design platforms, GLAM dynamically adjusts layout structures, maintains hierarchy, and preserves brand consistency across formats.
Users upload brand assets, define design rules, and rely on Obello’s engine to automate production. The system blends generative AI for text and images with motion capabilities and workflow automation, producing content that is ready for review while allowing teams to focus on higher-value work. The platform also features an AI-driven HTML email builder, replacing rigid templates found in legacy systems with responsive, fully on-brand layouts that adapt intelligently across devices.
The company serves a growing roster of mid-sized enterprise customers, including eBay, REI, ZenBusiness, OSEA, Ritual, Whisker, Fetch, Stasher, Thistle, Output, and Qonta. It plans to extend its offerings to creative agencies next.
With the new capital, Obello intends to enhance product development and expand its go-to-market strategy. Priorities include advanced AI image and video generation features that enable brands to produce on-brand creative with a single prompt, as well as deeper integrations with leading design and marketing tools to support its expanding mid-market and enterprise customer base.
KEY QUOTES
“Brands today are expected to show up everywhere, all the time, across countless channels while staying true to strict brand guidelines. This funding enables us to scale our platform so design and marketing teams can create and manage on-brand content at speed and scale, without sacrificing quality or creativity, ultimately helping brands grow faster and connect more meaningfully with their audiences.”
Ben Pham, Co-Founder And CEO Of Obello
“AI isn’t here to replace creative teams, it’s here to amplify their impact. With Obello, designers and marketers can spend less time on repetitive production tasks and more time on the strategic, high-value work that moves brands forward.”
Ollie Ralph, Co-Founder Of Obello
“Obello is tackling one of the biggest challenges brands face today, scaling across a fragmented marketing landscape without losing their identity. Ben and Ollie bring a rare mix of creative expertise and operational insight, and we believe their vision positions Obello to become the defining AI platform to deliver generative design for high-growth companies.”
James Joaquin, Co-Founder Of Obvious Ventures
