Impersonas, a Lebanese-founded startup born out of the Beirut Digital District (BDD), has launched a first-of-its-kind infrastructure platform designed to help talent manage and monetize their digital doubles. Addressing a critical gap in the burgeoning “digital human” industry, the platform allows public figures to license their 3D models, voice clones, and AI likenesses through a single, secure legal framework, streamlining a process that previously required complex, multi-party negotiations.
Solving The Legal Chaos Of Digital Avatars
The inspiration for Impersonas came from founder Nour Hassoun’s experience in the entertainment industry, where he witnessed the logistical hurdles of using digital humans in film and gaming. While technology for creating hyper-realistic avatars has advanced rapidly, the legal infrastructure has lagged behind. Traditionally, a production would need to negotiate separate deals for an actor’s voice, their 3D physical scan, and their AI-generated performance. Impersonas simplifies this by bundling these assets into a single “impersona” package, allowing talent to set minimum fees and approve specific uses with one click.
A Tech-Agnostic Approach To Global Licensing
Unlike competitors focused on building proprietary AI or avatar software, Impersonas is designed as a specialized infrastructure layer that integrates with industry leaders. The platform is compatible with ElevenLabs for voice cloning, Sora for AI video, and Epic Games’ Unreal Engine for 3D avatars. By focusing on the “business of the likeness” rather than the creation of the asset itself, the startup provides a scalable solution for agencies and brands to access licensed digital talent without the risk of intellectual property infringement or unauthorized deepfakes.
From Beirut Digital District To The Global Stage
The startup’s journey gained significant momentum after winning first place at the AUB iPark innovation awards, an achievement that helped Hassoun transition the project from a production solution into a scalable business. Despite the regional challenges, the platform was developed within the resilient ecosystem of the Beirut Digital District. Today, Impersonas is expanding its reach, raising a pre-seed round to grow operations across both North America and the Middle East, with upcoming showcases scheduled for the Qatar Web Summit and New York Tech Week.
About Impersonas
Impersonas is a digital identity management and licensing platform that empowers talent to control their digital doubles. By providing a centralized hub for 3D assets, voice clones, and AI likenesses, it enables public figures, athletes, and creators to securely license their images to brands, film studios, and game developers. The company’s mission is to establish a global standard for digital consent, ensuring that as the use of digital humans becomes mainstream, the real individuals behind them remain in control and are fairly compensated.
Source: Beirut Digital District
