Project Odyssey

What Project Odyssey does

Project Odyssey is a privately operated AI filmmaking competition platform founded in 2024 by Matty Shimura alongside Civitai, with Civit AI INC serving as host and administrator under a US (Idaho) domicile. The platform runs seasonal competitions — Season 1 and Season 2 completed, Season 3 announced for 2025 — that accept free submissions globally (excluding OFAC-sanctioned countries) via Devpost and Discord. Each season expands the category set (Season 2 covered nine categories; Season 3 expands to 26 categories spanning Film, Music Videos, and Games through a partnership with the Chroma Awards) and increases the prize pool, which is funded entirely by AI industry sponsors rather than participant fees.

The technical surface area is curatorial rather than proprietary: Project Odyssey does not build its own AI models but rather structures categories and judging around third-party AI workflows that participants use, including text-to-image, image-to-image, video generation, video rotoscoping, video-to-video, audio-reactive visualizers, and prompt traveling for character and narrative consistency. The platform integrates with the Civitai ecosystem for submission hosting and winner showcases, and Season 3 distributes through ElevenLabs, Google Cloud, FAL, Freepik, Dreamina AI, and CapCut channels. Sponsor-specific award categories (e.g., ElevenLabs voiceover, Kling video generation, Lambda GPU) make the competition a funnel for AI tooling vendors to surface creator work built on their stacks.

The business model is sponsorship-funded, with no direct monetization of participants: entry is free, creators retain full IP rights, and the Terms of Service explicitly state the competition cannot sublicense or sell submitted films. Customer segments are primarily AI filmmakers and AI technologists producing narrative films, music videos, trailers, 3D animation, and social media content, with secondary segments in marketing content and educational behind-the-scenes creators. GTM is community-led and event-driven, channeled through Discord, Flodesk email waitlists, Devpost, and earned media (Forbes, LA Times). Headcount is 1-10, no external funding rounds are disclosed, and revenue figures are not provided.

Name

Project Odyssey

Legal name

Project Odyssey

Website

https://projectodyssey.ai

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Project Odyssey is a privately operated AI filmmaking competition platform hosted by Civit AI INC, running free seasonal contests that award sponsor-funded cash prizes to global creators of AI-generated films, music videos, and games.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

AI Filmmaking Competitions

NAICS

Spectator Sports (71121)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Virtual Awards Ceremonies & Competitions (Judging, Voting) (MPAGAOAN)

Keywords

• AI filmmaking competitions
• Generative video contests
• Short film festivals
• Creative AI platforms
• Digital film production

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Personnel, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Competition Prize Distribution: Project Odyssey distributes prize money to winners across multiple categories and tiers (1st, 2nd, 3rd place plus runner-ups and honorable mentions). Season 3 offers over $175,000 in cash prizes. Prizes are delivered within 7 business days of announcement.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Project Odyssey is a free-to-enter AI filmmaking competition platform that runs seasonal contests inviting individual creators and teams to submit short films made with AI tools. Submissions are accepted across categories including Narrative, Music Video, 3D Animation, Open Format, Behind-The-Scenes, Marketing & Advertisement, Trailers, Rendering & VFX, and Social Media, with winners receiving cash prizes (over $175,000 in Season 3) and distribution opportunities through the Chroma Awards partnership. The contest is hosted and administered by Civit AI INC and funded through sponsorships from AI companies.

Product overview

Project Odyssey is an AI filmmaking competition platform that has evolved through three seasons. The core offering is the competition itself, which provides a structured framework for AI filmmakers to compete across multiple categories. Season 1 and Season 2 established the competition format with categories spanning Narrative, Music Video, 3D Animation, Open Format, Behind-The-Scenes, and sponsor-specific awards. Season 3 partners with the Chroma Awards to expand to 26 categories across Film, Music Videos, and Games with over $175,000 in prizes. The platform also provides free education and resources for creators regardless of background.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Season 1: First season of the Project Odyssey AI filmmaking competition featuring winners across Narrative, Music Video, 3D Animation, Open Format, Behind-The-Scenes, and Company Awards categories.
• Season 2
• Season 3

Products and services

• Project Odyssey Competition Platform An AI filmmaking competition platform that hosts seasonal contests where global creators submit AI-generated films, music videos, and creative video content across multiple categories for prizes and recognition.
• Project Odyssey Season 1 The inaugural season of the Project Odyssey AI filmmaking competition featuring winners across Narrative, Music Video, 3D Animation, Open Format, Behind-The-Scenes, and Company Awards categories.
• Project Odyssey Season 2 The second season featuring expanded categories (Narrative, Music Video, Social Media, Marketing & Advertisement, Trailers, Rendering & VFX, Open Format, Behind-The-Scenes) and sponsor-specific awards from Civitai, ElevenLabs, Kling, Viggle, and Lambda.
• Project Odyssey Season 3 The third season in partnership with Chroma Awards, offering over $175,000 in cash prizes and distribution opportunities across 26 categories spanning Film, Music Videos, and Games.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4,500+ submissions in a single season demonstrating global reach

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability8 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

25 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Chroma AwardsflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Project Odyssey Season 3 partners with Chroma Awards, an AI Film, Music Video, and Games competition. The partnership offers over $175,000 in cash prizes and distribution opportunities across 26 categories spanning Film, Music Videos, and Games. Chroma Awards is presented by multiple AI companies.
• ElevenLabscoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025ElevenLabs is a presenter/sponsor of the Chroma Awards (Season 3). In Season 2, ElevenLabs was a Title Sponsor with awards for submissions using ElevenLabs AI Voiceover or SFX.
• Google CloudcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Google Cloud is a presenter/sponsor of the Chroma Awards (Season 3), providing cloud infrastructure support for the competition.
• FALcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025FAL is a presenter/sponsor of the Chroma Awards (Season 3), supporting the AI filmmaking competition.
• FreepikcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Freepik is a presenter/sponsor of the Chroma Awards (Season 3), supporting the AI filmmaking competition.
• Dreamina AIcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Dreamina AI is a presenter/sponsor of the Chroma Awards (Season 3), supporting the AI filmmaking competition.
• CapCutcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025CapCut is a presenter/sponsor of the Chroma Awards (Season 3), supporting the AI filmmaking competition.
• CivitaiflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Civitai is the co-founder and host/administrator of Project Odyssey. As the Home Of Open-Source Generative AI, Civitai provides the platform infrastructure for submissions and winner showcases. Civitai INC is the official host and administrator of the competition.
• KlingcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Kling was a Title Sponsor for Season 2 with awards for submissions using Kling's AI video or lip sync generation tools.
• VigglecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Viggle was a Title Sponsor for Season 2 with awards for submissions using Viggle's AI filmmaking tools.
• LambdacoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Lambda was a Title Sponsor for Season 2, selecting favorite films based on merit for Lambda GPU awards.
• HedraminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Gold Sponsor for Season 2, featured in Gold Sponsor awards for submissions using Hedra AI filmmaking products.
• RunPodminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Gold Sponsor for Season 2, featured in Gold Sponsor awards.
• HiggsminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Gold Sponsor for Season 2, featured in Gold Sponsor awards.
• ThinkDiffusionminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Gold Sponsor for Season 2, featured in Gold Sponsor awards.
• RealDreamminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Gold Sponsor for Season 2, featured in Gold Sponsor awards.
• NebiusminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Gold Sponsor for Season 2, featured in Gold Sponsor awards.
• CCS (AI Community)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Community Award partner for Season 2, selecting winners from their community members.
• AI KoreaminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Community Award partner for Season 2, selecting winners from the Korean AI community.
• OliviominorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Community Award partner for Season 2.
• Zero1CineminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Community Award partner for Season 2.
• BanodocominorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Community Award partner for Season 2.
• AIHUBminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Community Award partner for Season 2.
• AICUminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Community Award partner for Season 2.
• Machine CinemaminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Community Award partner for Season 2.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Runway: Leading AI video generation platform whose tools (Gen-3, Gen-4) are widely used by Project Odyssey participants. Comparable as the dominant AI filmmaking creation tool that also runs its own film competitions and showcases.
• Stability AI: Released Stable Video Diffusion and broader generative media tools widely used in AI filmmaking. Comparable as both a tool provider for Project Odyssey entrants and a sponsor/competitor in the AI creative ecosystem.
• Civitai: Open-source generative AI community platform that is both the parent of Project Odyssey and a parallel destination for AI creators. Overlaps in audience and serves as the distribution infrastructure for Project Odyssey submissions.
• Luma AI: Creator of Dream Machine, a generative video model popular among AI filmmakers. Competes for the same pool of AI filmmaking creators and runs its own film showcases that overlap with Project Odyssey's competition categories.
• Pika Labs: AI video generation platform targeting creators making short-form narrative and experimental films, directly overlapping with Project Odyssey's submission categories. Both compete for the same creator mindshare in AI filmmaking.
• FilmFreeway: Leading submission and festival management platform for film festivals worldwide. Comparable as the closest analog to a competition hosting platform, though focused on traditional rather than AI-specific film festivals.
• Devpost: Online hackathon and competition hosting platform that is the official submission platform for Project Odyssey. Comparable as the infrastructure layer powering the competition and as a broader competition hosting competitor.

Broad incumbents

• Kaggle: Largest data science competition platform with prize-funded contests and global community. Comparable as the canonical example of a sponsor-funded, judging-based competition platform — though in data science rather than filmmaking.
• ElevenLabs: AI voice and audio generation platform that is both a presenter/sponsor of the Chroma Awards (Season 3) and a broader AI creative tools incumbent. Comparable as a sponsor-category competitor and adjacent AI creative tool.

Emerging players

• Kling AI: AI video generation tool from Kuaishou that was a Title Sponsor of Project Odyssey Season 2. Comparable as an AI video tool competing for AI filmmakers and as an adjacent sponsor ecosystem player.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Project0dyssey
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/project-odyssey-ai

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Project Odyssey