Entrepreneur of the Year 2024

John Gibbs, associate professor of theatre and film studies, specializes in 3D computer modeling and animation and artificial intelligence (AI) in the creative arts. Gibbs is co-founder of Artimatic, Inc., a company that applies machine learning and AI to help digital artists realize their creative vision. Gibbs is a named inventor on the underlying, patent-protected technology licensed to Artimatic through a Georgia Startup License, which streamlines the licensing process for eligible companies seeking to commercialize UGA-developed intellectual property. skiNNer, Artimatic’s first product, has the potential to revolutionize computer animation, speeding up tedious and time-consuming weighting processes. The company is developing a suite of products to address other time-intensive tasks in digital arts. Artimatic has garnered startup funding from both the National Science Foundation and the Georgia Research Alliance to develop its products designed to streamline tasks in the creative arts. Gibbs carries his innovation and educational drive to the wider public via his YouTube channel, “Dr. Know-it-all.”