6 Questions with Niro Thavarajah, co-founder of London-based Humant Life

It was our pleasure to sit down with Niro Thavarajah, co-founder of Humant Life, which makes it easy for creators, media and advertising agencies to license influencer stock photos and videos.

1. Can you give us an overview of your background and how you started Humant Life?

My name is Niro, and I wear two hats: I am an indie filmmaker and have worked in tech for over 10 years. I've always been drawn to audio-visual storytelling. Through my work, I've interacted with numerous influencers, many of whom struggle with monetisation, including a YouTuber with over a million subscribers.

Creators with over 1 million followers often have to create 3-5 videos per day for TikTok and another video a week for YouTube just to stay relevant and earn money. This constant pressure leads to fatigue, and these platforms tend to favor advertisers over creators.

The problem is twofold: for creators, incorrect textual metadata (video titles, descriptions) entered at upload time hinders content discovery. For ad companies and brands, the sheer volume of video results makes finding specific content overwhelming.

Using all my experience in creative work and tech, I thought about how I can solve this problem. So I came up with Humant Life which addresses these issues by providing a unified platform where brands and ad agencies can easily access legacy influencer content, helping to reduce influencer marketing costs and bringing authenticity back to stock content.

This idea was born from the need to simplify content discovery and monetisation for everyone involved. It also aims to become 'the world's biggest archive of influencer photos and videos'.

2. What is your favourite thing about the London startup ecosystem right now?

Having worked extensively with the UK and Germany's startup ecosystem, particularly since we're backed by a fund there in Berlin, I find London's tech scene incredibly dynamic.

London is always an exciting place to be, and its tech ecosystem has become smarter, leveraging data from the past decade to make informed decisions. The city's diversity and innovation are unparalleled.

3. What tips can you give to entrepreneurs considering starting a business in London?

Firstly, networking is crucial. Take advantage of the numerous networking opportunities available, even if some events are ticketed. London hosts countless meetups, conferences, and events where you can connect with like-minded individuals and potential collaborators.

Secondly, don’t hesitate to seek mentorship and advice from experienced entrepreneurs. Lastly, make use of the various funding opportunities, from government grants to venture capital, to help fuel your startup’s growth.

4. What's a great digital tool or hack you've discovered recently?

I started using Figma during lockdown, and it has become an invaluable tool for visualising ideas. Figma allows for real-time collaboration, making it easier to bring concepts to life and iterate quickly with my team.

5. What London-based startups are you personally excited about?

I'm particularly excited about startups in the AI sector and projects that are based on PhD research. These initiatives often lead to unique and groundbreaking opportunities, pushing the boundaries of technology and innovation.

6. What can we expect to see coming out of Humant Life in the near future?

At Humant Life we're using gen AI and developing a feature that allows brands to add their products and logos to legacy photos and videos from influencer content creators.

Our vision is to become the go-to platform for advertisers, creatives, and influencers to collaborate and gamify the creation of stock content. Similar to Stack Overflow, we aim to build a community where users can share, learn, and create professional-quality content for advertising campaigns and creative projects.

We're enhancing our advanced AI technology to organise and reindex photos and videos, improving content discoverability. Additionally, we're designing a collaborative workflow tool specifically for brands, influencers, stock content users, and marketers, inspired by Stack Overflow's community-driven platform.

We stay abreast of emerging trends and advancements in AI and technology, continuously innovating to maintain a competitive edge in the market.