Hovhannes Avoyan’s AI-powered content creation platform
By Yousra Benkirane
Armenian serial entrepreneur Hovhannes Avoyan thought he was done founding startups – until he wasn’t. While in the process of selling his fifth company, he noticed his then 10-year-old daughter in tears from cyberbullying. She was attacked for putting her quirky artwork online. In a girl-dad moment, he instantly began thinking of ways for his daughter to be able to express her creativity in a positive environment. The result was Picsart.
Picsart is an AI-powered platform where people can create, customize, and share images and videos. “I’m thinking this may be my last startup, so I wanted to make something for her [Avoyan’s daughter] and people like her to be creative, where she can get more encouragement to develop talent through the community – and tools,” says Avoyan.
Founded in 2011, the Picsart application was first developed as a stand-alone tool to help people alter photo images on their phones. Now, Picsart has amassed one of the largest AI-powered open-source content collections, which allows creators of all levels to design, edit, draw, and share photo and video content anywhere.
Picsart was first made available only on Androids. Avoyan felt that helped boost the brand because, at the time, Androids were more popular around the globe. It was also one of the first Android apps on Google’s App Store. Now available in 30-plus languages (and on other platforms, including Apple), Picsart has more than 150 million active monthly users making one billion monthly edits, and is used personally and professionally by consumers, marketers, content creators, and businesses.
Backed by well-known investors such as SoftBank, Sequoia Capital, and DCM Ventures (along with others), Picsart has raised $195 million in venture capital to date with a company valuation nearing $1.5 billion, making it the first tech unicorn born in Armenia.
The design platform moved its headquarters to Miami from San Francisco a little over two years ago. Prior to that, Picsart ran most of its operations in Avoyan’s native Armenia. Now the company has over 1,000 employees in offices in Berlin, Edinburgh, Glasgow, London, New York, Romania, San Francisco, Toronto, and Yerevan. “I moved because it was much easier to create a hub in Miami – with the time zones, the connections, and my personal lifestyle. I also enjoy the vibrant scene of Miami. It’s very diverse, entertaining, and artistic too,” says Avoyan. “So, it’s like we got closer to our users in a sense, especially with Miami hosting Art Basel.”
With more than 25 years of experience in computer programming and software development, Avoyan is a huge advocate for implementing technology as a tool – specifically AI. When Picsart was first founded, AI was still a topic of theoretical interest in academia. Now, according to a recent report by Forbes, some 37 percent of businesses in the U.S. are adopting AI in some form. “We are seeing a radical shift in terms of how AI can be used,” says the CEO. “I see AI not as a replacement for creativity, but more like a co-pilot for creative people.”
In 2017, Picsart launched one of the first AI filters, which altered – and often improved – images. Last year, the app released AI fonts, which uses generative AI to analyze existing fonts – including your own handwriting – to create new variations. Picsart also added an AI Image Generator and an AI Writer, which makes images and copy using generative AI, and this year launched a new standalone app called SketchAI, which turns sketches into digital art. “My approach is to make AI the most powerful co-pilot for creative people and encourage them to use these opportunities to create even better content more efficiently,” says Avoyan.
