Innobright Technologies
With the assistance of NMSBA, I am realizing my vision of shifting the paradigm of “computing” in computer-generated imagery and visual effects rendering.
Although commonly used today in many blockbuster movies, computer-generated imagery (CGI) rendering has various drawbacks, including the time and money it takes to render complex scenes or animation sequences. At low render sampling or short/ fast render times, current rendering technology results in output that is often snowy(noisy) or blurry.
Innobright Technologies, located in Albuquerque, has developed a new “denoiser” software that may change the cost, time, and results of CGI. Product named Altus, this software attaches as a denoising plugin for existing ray tracers that are deploying Monte Carlo rendering methods. Monte Carlo rendering consists of algorithms ormethods that are time consuming and computationally intensive to obtain high quality results. Altus allows conventional rendering programs to render less and provides high-quality results up to 12 times faster by applying its patent-protected noise removal techniques.
Computer graphics imagery (CGI) has a diverse set of applications and this meant that majority owner Raghu Kopalle needed help identifying which markets would pose the greatest initial success for Altus. So Kopalle joined forces with Professor Steve Walsh of the University of New Mexico’s Management of Technology program through NMSBA. Walsh and his team of students authenticated a product roadmap from a market perspective. Graduate students involved with this project, Alex Greenberg and Namrata Nepal, gained valuable experience in technology commercialization and market research specific to New Mexico economic development.
Having a clearer vision of possible markets and an effective product roadmap, Raghu Kopalle has since raised $330,000 in funding and has secured paying customers from all over the world. He has also hired two full-time and four part-time employees to help with his growing company.