About us
Founded by leaders in the entertainment industry, Layer empowers professional studios to scale at every point in the production lifecycle.
Our Team
The Layer team is made up of industry professionals with extensive experience in AI, gaming, and computer vision, all committed to advancing gaming art production through AI.
#TeamLayer
Volkan Gurel
Co-founder & CEO
Burcu Hakguder
Co-founder & CRO
Jacques Lemire
Founding Engineer
Connor McIntyre
Founding Product Designer
Harry Wang
Founding Engineer
Maxime Côté
Founding Engineer
Gabriel Lemire
Full-Stack Engineer
Anthony Lord
Full-Stack Engineer
Monica Lozano
Full-Stack Engineer
Fabien Rogeret
Full-Stack Engineer
Alex Murphy
Full-Stack Engineer
Alex Ivanou
Staff Engineer
Melis Eser
Jr Creative Specialist
Alex Engel
VP of Product
Ilya Kuznetsov
Director of Business Development
John Wood
VP of Engineering
Olivia Bryant
Business & Revenue Operations Manager
In a world of ever-changing AI models, Layer is Creative Automation platform for entertainment brands.
What we believe.
Artist-first is the future.
AI should supercharge creativity - not replace it. Layer helps game teams scale fast without losing the human touch.
Flexibility is everything.
Innovation doesn’t come from one model or company. Layer stays open and model-agnostic, so you’re never locked in.
AI for every studio.
From indie to AAA, Layer makes AI simple, fast, and production-ready - so your team can stay focused on making great games.
Results that speak for themselves.
300+
Studios using Layer every day. We help game teams scale fast without losing the human touch.
2-8X
Average increase in production speed. Layer is designed empower production pipelines across all types of media.
100%
In-house content creation – no more outsourcing. Keep production within the team for consistency and reliability.
Trusted by studios worldwide.
Advisors & Board Members
Layer is backed by advisors from the worlds of gaming, AI, and creative technology, all aligned in our mission to redefine how game content is created.
Mehmet Ecevit
Investor & Board Member
Akin Babayigit
Investor & Board Member
Riccardo Zacconi
Investor & Board Member
Emory Irpan
Advisor
Matt Omernick
Advisor
FAQ
Who founded Layer and what’s the mission?
Layer was founded by leaders in the entertainment industry with a clear mission: to make creative production scalable. The platform empowers professional game studios to scale across the production lifecycle without sacrificing quality, consistency, or the human touch that makes great games.
Does Layer believe AI will replace artists?
Absolutely not. Layer’s core belief is that AI should supercharge creativity, not replace it. The platform is built artist-first, with tools and workflows designed to help teams move faster and produce more while keeping artists in control of the final output and creative vision.
Who is on the Layer team?
Layer’s team includes industry professionals with deep experience in AI, gaming, and computer vision. The company was co-founded by Volkan Gurel (CEO) and Burcu Hakguder (CRO), alongside a founding group of engineers and product designers mostly coming from the games industry. The broader team spans engineering, product, business development, and creative operations.
Who backs and advises Layer?
Layer is backed by a board and advisor group with roots in gaming, AI, and creative technology. Board members include Mehmet Ecevit, Akin Babayigit, and Riccardo Zacconi. Advisors include Emory Irpan and Matt Omernick, bringing additional expertise from the games and entertainment world.
Is Layer only for large AAA studios?
Not at all. Layer is built for studios of every size—from indie teams to AAA powerhouses. It’s designed to make AI simple, fast, and production-ready so any team can stay focused on making great games without complex AI infrastructure.
Does Layer lock you into specific AI models?
No. Layer is intentionally model-agnostic—you’re not locked into a single provider. Layer stays flexible and open, giving you access to the best available models across image, video, 3D, and audio generation as the AI landscape evolves.
What kind of results have studios seen with Layer?
Studios using Layer have reported strong outcomes: 300+ studios use the platform daily, teams have seen 2–8× production speed increases, and many have achieved 100% in-house content creation with no outsourcing—while maintaining quality and brand consistency.
More questions? Check out our full fundraising announcement.
