What happened
Former TikTok employees Melody Chu and Jing Liu launched Superpose, an iOS camera app that uses AI to generate four potential poses from a selfie or photo, and it has raised $2.2 million from Khosla Ventures, Meitu, and OVTR VC.
Why it matters
Superpose targets a personal pain point—Chu said her husband took awful photos—and joins AI photography features from Google and Adobe, but focuses on real-life portraits rather than AI-generated backgrounds or fantastical scenes, according to Chu.
What to watch
Superpose launched in July and has been downloaded over 22,000 times, with users generating more than 190,000 poses; the company is working on improving uncanny pose suggestions through better generation styles, personalization, and viewfinder coaching.
WHO IT HITSThis app lands on everyday iOS users who want better photos of themselves or friends, and on photography app makers competing with Google and Adobe’s AI photo coaching features.
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Superpose arrives as major tech companies are already experimenting with AI-guided photography. Google released Camera Coach on Pixel phones to help with framing and composition, and Adobe added an AI feature to critique photos and suggest changes for capture. Chu, who worked in product roles at Meta, Nextdoor, Roblox, TikTok, and Slack, said the idea came from a personal frustration: her husband took awful photos of her.
Rather than chasing AI-generated backgrounds or fantastical scenes, Superpose is betting on real-life memory capture. The app generates four pose suggestions from a selfie or a friend’s photo, and users can save them or try a match-pose feature. Chu acknowledged that other companies are entering the AI-guided photography space, but said Superpose wants to become the best camera for portrait photos by following AI directions.
The startup’s early traction—over 22,000 downloads and more than 190,000 poses generated since its July launch—suggests some user interest. It has raised $2.2 million from Khosla Ventures, Meitu, and OVTR VC. Chu also acknowledged that some pose suggestions can seem uncanny, and the company is working on improving generation styles, personalization, and viewfinder coaching. How well Superpose refines those suggestions may determine whether it stands out against Google and Adobe’s offerings.
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