Rayon raises €10M to bring AI and 3D to its interior design software

Rayon, the Paris-based startup that has created software allowing interior designers to draw floor plans in a web browser, announced that it has raised 10 million euros in its Series A financing round, with Partech as the lead investor.

Northzone, Foundamental, and Seedcamp, which had previously backed the company, also participated in the funding round.

Michiel Kotting, Partner at Northzone, adds:

“Architecture and design have long been laggards when it comes to adoption of new technologies, and the sectors have yet to catch up with the rate of advancement in AI. Rayon is changing that, building specifically for the needs of interior designers and surpassing what is possible with traditional CAD software.”

The funds will be used to cover three areas: the 3D mode, additional AI features within the drawing tool, and an increased sales campaign. This round of financing brings Rayon’s total funding up to nearly €16M.

The tool operates through a web browser rather than as desktop software and allows designers to import PDFs, images, and DWG files, the standard CAD format, and work on a project from the initial layout to the final plans, all in the same place.

The plans, specifications, and schedules are kept together in one place, so if you make a change to the drawing, it will be reflected in the other documents.

Moreover, several people can edit the same drawing simultaneously and share it with others via a simple link.

The company states that over four million drawings have already been produced on the platform, and gives Virgin Atlantic as an example of a customer, noting that the airline uses the service for planning its airport lounges.

Meanwhile, CityHub, a hostel company, says it saves 10,000 euros each month by conducting its early feasibility studies in-house.

Rayon already has a number of AI tools; one of them converts a scanned or photographed floor plan into an editable drawing complete with walls, doors, and zones.

Another tool generates furniture and fixture blocks from photographs, and a fourth version of the software, due by December, will include additional AI features and 3D functionality.

“Interior design needs its own approach to AI, not a borrowed one. We’re building ours directly into the drawing experience, while staying connected to the AI tools designers already use,” said Stanislas Chaillou, co-founder & COO/CPO of Rayon.

Stanislas Chaillou established the company in 2021, with Bastien Dolla serving as its chief executive; he had previously worked at Spacemaker, an AI design startup based in Oslo that Autodesk acquired in 2020.

Autodesk, Trimble, and Nemetschek are Rayon’s competitors because they sell the desktop tools that most designers still use.

Rayon also has to deal with more recent browser-based rivals such as Snaptrude and Arcol, and startups like Synaps are developing AI drawing tools for architects.