Gamma acquires AI-powered design startup Lica to expand presentation research capabilities

Presentation platform Gamma has acquired Accel-backed design startup Lica, marking the latest consolidation move in a rapidly heating AI presentations space. The deal will see Lica's co-founders establish a dedicated research laboratory within Gamma to explore new frontiers in visual communication and design.

Background on Lica#

Launched in 2023 by former Microsoft engineers Priyaa Kalyanaraman and Purvanshi Mehta, Lica initially developed technology to transform screenshots and video recordings into polished presentations and marketing materials. The startup attracted backing from Accel, South Park Commons, and Village Global, raising $4 million in late 2024. More recently, the team has concentrated on working with e-commerce businesses to generate on-brand marketing videos.

Why the timing clicked#

The two companies discovered a natural alignment through their shared investors and overlapping mission around democratizing visual communication. Kalyanaraman explained the logic: "We have a very similar North Star vision of wanting to make visual communication easy... But that's just one part of the solution. Gamma had focused a lot on building distribution, taking the application to 100 million-plus users. Given how fast things are moving, we decided to join forces."

Gamma's broader strategy#

Gamma has built a substantial user base by helping creators develop presentations while gradually expanding into image generation. Under Lica's leadership, the platform aims to reimagine what presentations can become—exploring interactive formats, dynamic visuals, and personalized communication styles tailored to different audiences. CEO Lee Grant noted the company sees research in multimodal communication as essential: "This is why we're excited to invest in this area, because we don't think anybody else is thinking at that level."

Rising consolidation in AI presentations#

The acquisition reflects intensifying activity in the AI presentation category. Prezent has raised $50 million across multiple rounds, Gamma itself achieved a $2.1 billion valuation, and . Larger tech players are clearly betting that the future of workplace communication will be increasingly AI-driven and visually sophisticated.