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TEMPO.CO, Singapore - Videotto, a Singapore-based AI-native video editing startup founded by two 18-year-old innovators, has secured seed funding from East Ventures, a leading venture capital firm in Southeast Asia, according to a press release received by Tempo on October 28, 2025.Founded by Tay Yao Ming (Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer) and Ian Lee (Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer), Videotto was born from the founders’ frustration with the complexity of traditional video editing tools.“Last year, I was running a podcast interviewing young founders, but it took me 20 hours to edit a single episode and turn it into short-form clips. That’s when I got the idea and approached Ian to build an AI Video Automation Platform together,” said Tay Yao Ming.“Now, Videotto serves to level the playing field for creators globally — redefining how content is produced at scale and making professional video creation accessible to everyone, from individual creators to global brands.”Videotto leverages artificial intelligence (AI) to simplify video editing. Users can upload long-form footage, and the system automatically identifies the best moments, adds captions, arranges scenes, adjusts sound and lighting, and applies smooth transitions. The platform can also generate multiple short videos optimized for various social media platforms, tailoring content automatically for each channel.Over time, the AI learns each user’s editing style and preferences, allowing creators to produce polished, ready-to-share videos with just a few clicks.The product will be publicly showcased at the Singapore Week of Innovation and Technology (SWITCH) 2025, held from October 29 to 31, under the booths of Singapore Polytechnic and Ngee Ann Polytechnic — marking Videotto’s first public demonstration of its technology.“We had a great first meeting with Yao Ming and Ian. It was impressive to see how they think about their business and their commitment to making it work,” said Willson Cuaca, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at East Ventures.“I met Yao Ming a few weeks ago during the POL-ITE Entrepreneurs’ Challenge Dialogue organized by ACE.SG. His pitch left a strong impression on me, and I decided to invest the next day.”Cuaca added that the investment aligns with East Ventures’ founder-first thesis — that innovation can come from anyone, regardless of age or background. “At East Ventures, we believe that AI is not just a technology, but a tool to level the playing field and empower individuals like them to create meaningful impact,” he said.Videotto.com currently operates with a focused four-person strike team. Alongside co-founders Yao Ming and Ian Lee, Felix Isaac Lim and Chong Kah Hian — both young AI prodigies — work tirelessly to strengthen the company’s infrastructure and scale its systems architecture. With the newly secured funding, Videotto plans to accelerate product development, expand its technical talent pool, and acquire high-value clients across the region.About VideottoVideotto is an AI Agent that helps livestreamers, creators, and agencies transform long videos into short, engaging clips — delivering up to 100 times greater efficiency in the video editing process.About East VenturesFounded in 2009, East Ventures is a leading, sector-agnostic venture capital firm that supports over 300 tech companies across Southeast Asia. As an early believer in Indonesia’s startup ecosystem, East Ventures has backed notable companies such as Tokopedia, Traveloka, Ruangguru, ShopBack, Xendit, Sociolla, and Fore Coffee.East Ventures has been recognized as one of the most consistent top-performing VC funds globally by Preqin and remains committed to sustainable investment through ESG-embedded practices.Editor’s Choice: Citi: AI Could Boost Global Banking Profits by US$2 TrillionClick here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News
