Hello there, it’s Paul. In the ever-evolving landscape of digital technology, the emergence of AI-generated imagery has caused quite a stir. In the thick of it is an intriguing company - Mid Journey, renowned for its cutting-edge AI image generation technology. The brain behind this pioneering venture is David Hols, who has managed to transform Mid Journey from a concept into a top-of-the-line AI image generator within just a year.
Let’s delve into the captivating journey of David and how he built Mid Journey to become a beacon in the AI landscape.
Embarking on the Journey David Hols’ journey into the realm of AI is a fascinating tale of curiosity and innovation. Born into a family with a unique blend of dentistry and sea voyages, David found his calling in the world of computers at a very young age. From hacking computer games to running a design business in high school, David’s early life was a testament to his innate knack for tech.
His insatiable curiosity led him to study physics in college, where he delved into complex concepts and mathematical theories. This pursuit of knowledge culminated in David earning degrees in both physics and mathematics and kickstarting his PhD in applied mathematics.
Leap Motion: An Initial Leap into Tech Entrepreneurship David’s first foray into entrepreneurship came with Leap Motion, a company that aimed to revolutionize how people interacted with technology through hand-tracking devices. Despite an initial buzz and interest from tech giants like Apple, Leap Motion faced numerous challenges. Ultimately, the product-market fit wasn’t there, and Leap Motion was eventually acquired by Ultra Haptics.
While Leap Motion may not have been the overnight success story many might have hoped for, it did provide David with invaluable experience and insights into the world of tech startups that would later prove instrumental in his journey with Mid Journey.
The Dawn of Mid Journey In June 2023, an academic paper on diffusion models caught David’s attention. Recognizing the potential these models had in transforming AI image generation, he saw this as his next big opportunity. With the first version of OpenAI’s Dolly model confirming his intuition, David knew it was time to launch Mid Journey.
By leveraging his past experiences and extensive network, David focused on obtaining the necessary computational power to scale Mid Journey. Despite not raising any external funding, Mid Journey quickly ascended to become a premier AI image generator.
Harnessing the Power of Discord One of Mid Journey’s defining strategies is its extensive use of Discord as a feedback loop for product development. With over 18 million members currently, Mid Journey’s Discord server serves as a massive brainstorming platform where users can collaborate on ideas, contributing to the product’s continuous improvement.
Lessons Learned and Future Directions David’s journey with Mid Journey is a testament to the power of curiosity, learning, and action. His ability to leverage his past experiences, focus on what he needed most (compute), and continuously learn from his users’ feedback has likely contributed significantly to Mid Journey’s success.
Looking ahead, David sees AI not as a threat but as an opportunity - akin to discovering a new source of water. While acknowledging the potential risks associated with AI, he also highlights its potential as a life-changing resource.
Mid Journey’s story is an impressive example of how years of experience, coupled with curiosity and a bias for action, can transform an idea into an industry-leading solution in just a year - all without a single penny of venture capital.
Paul