EXCLUSIVE: AI startup My SMASH Media has secured additional funding and recruited Allison Gardner, former director of the Glasgow Film Festival and a well-known figure in British business. The Edinburgh-based company has an AI-based matchmaking tool for the film sector called SMASHCupid, and Gardner’s arrival coincides with the receipt of an R&D grant from Scottish Enterprise, the government body that supports businesses in the country.
Gardner, who retired from her dual roles as chief executive of Glasgow Film and director of the city’s film festival earlier this year, joins My SMASH Media founders, actress and producer Fiona Gillies, producer Christine Hartland and digital specialist Mahesh Ramachandra. Gardner plays a development role within the company.
SMASH’s matching tool uses AI analysis and human curation to connect writers, directors and producers with studios, streamers and financiers. It discerns the logical lines, themes and tone of a project, as well as factors considered in industry briefs, to identify potential matches. Creators receive feedback on their pitches and buyers can discover talent and intellectual properties.
The company said it has more than 8,000 users in 101 countries, with unnamed studios and industry partners testing its technology.
(LR) The founders of My SMASH Media, Christine Hartland, Fiona Gillies, Mahesh Ramachandra
My SMASH media
Gardner said: “SMASH addresses one of the industry’s biggest challenges by making project discovery and development more efficient and equitable. I’m excited to support a platform that empowers creators and puts innovation at the heart of storytelling.”
Gillies, whose on-screen credits include must-see British shows Coronation Street And Victimadded, “Allison’s programming insight and deep understanding of audiences is invaluable as we scale. She represents exactly the kind of forward-thinking industry collaborator we want to work with.”
Speaking about the R&D funding, Gillies said: “This investment marks a crucial milestone for SMASH as we expand our AI capabilities and data systems. Our mission is to make creative discovery more transparent, efficient and inclusive so that new voices can reach new audiences.”
