# Lamina Labs

> Lamina Labs builds the visualization layer for AI: tools that turn documents, decks, and model output into clear explainer videos people actually watch and understand. Backed by Y Combinator, Foundation Capital, Link Ventures.

Lamina's first product is **Simi**: upload a document, deck, or plain idea, and Simi returns a narrated 1080p whiteboard explainer video across 80+ supported languages. A one-minute explainer takes about 40 seconds to generate, and videos can run up to five minutes. Supported inputs include PDF, Word, PowerPoint, plain text, and Markdown, or a short prompt. Customer-uploaded documents are never used in any model training at Lamina Labs, and commercial usage rights are provided to Business customers in agreement with Lamina Labs. Simi also has an HTTP API, Python and Node SDKs, and an MCP server so agents can generate videos directly.

## Backing & Investors

- Backed by: Y Combinator, Foundation Capital, Link Ventures
- Y Combinator profile: https://www.ycombinator.com/companies/lamina-labs

## Benchmark Comparison (Prompt: "Explain how photosynthesis works, for a middle-school class.")

| Tool | Generation Time | Output Duration | Resolution | Frame Rate | Relative Cost |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Simi (Lamina Labs) | 40 sec | 1:09 | 1080p | 12 fps | 1× |
| Claude Fable 5 (Anthropic) | 20 min | 1:02 | 1080p | 30 fps | ~20× |
| GPT-5.5 Pro (OpenAI) | 9 min | 1:00 | 720p | 15 fps | ~5× |
| NotebookLM (Google) | 20 min | 3:30 | 540p | 30 fps | bundled |

## What people use it for

- Training & L&D: SOPs, policies, and process docs become short videos new hires finish.
- Education: Lessons and study notes become narrated visual explainers students replay.
- Customer onboarding: Walk users through setup and features without booking a call.
- Creators: Scripts and ideas become channel-ready explainer videos.
- Small business: Product walkthroughs, FAQs, and how-tos without hiring a studio.
- Developers: Generate video from your own pipeline with the Simi API and SDKs.

## Pages & Documentation

- [Home](https://laminalabs.ai/): What Lamina Labs is — benchmarks against other AI video tools, the Simi product section, solutions, and pricing.
- [Simi section](https://laminalabs.ai/#simi): Simi, the whiteboard explainer video generator, with sample videos.
- [Docs Overview](https://laminalabs.ai/docs): API keys, HTTP API, Python and Node SDKs, and the MCP server (https://api.laminalabs.ai/mcp).
- [Getting started](https://laminalabs.ai/docs/getting-started): Create an API key and generate your first video over HTTP.
- [Python SDK](https://laminalabs.ai/docs/python-sdk): Async-first Python SDK: generate, stream events, or use callbacks.
- [Node SDK](https://laminalabs.ai/docs/node-sdk): Async-first TypeScript SDK for Node 22+.
- [MCP server](https://laminalabs.ai/docs/mcp): Use Simi from Claude, Cursor, and other MCP clients.
- [App](https://app.laminalabs.ai/simi): The Simi web app, where videos are created.

## Pricing (monthly plans, annual saves 40%; 1 credit ≈ 1 second of balanced-quality video)

- Basic: $12/month for 2,400 credits (Student access for turning ideas and documents into Simi explainers.)
- Plus: $19.99/month for 6,000 credits (More room for regular lessons, demos, and study videos.)
- Pro: $49.99/month for 18,000 credits (For creators and teams making Simi part of their week.)
- Max: $99.99/month for 45,000 credits (For heavier use across training, classes, teams, and API.)
- Business: $499.99/month for 30,000 credits (For teams that need branding, API, and volume pricing.)

## FAQ

### What can I feed Simi?
A PDF, Word doc, PowerPoint, Markdown, or plain text file — or just type a prompt. A single sentence or a full document both work; Simi reads the source and turns it into a narrated whiteboard explainer.

### How fast is it, and how long can a video be?
A one-minute explainer takes about 40 seconds to generate. Most plans make videos up to about five minutes; longer runtimes are set up through a Business plan. You spend roughly one credit per second of finished video.

### What do people use Simi for?
Onboarding and training, customer walkthroughs, lessons and study notes, product explainers, and internal docs.

### Is there an API?
Yes. Simi has an HTTP API, Python and Node SDKs, and an MCP server so agents can make videos directly. Everything is in the docs.

### How do credits work?
One credit is roughly one second of balanced-quality video. Every plan comes with a monthly credit allowance, and annual billing saves 40%.

### Do you offer student pricing?
Yes — students get discounted plans inside the app.

### What languages does Simi support?
Simi supports 80+ languages for both source documents and narrated whiteboard video output.

### Are my uploaded documents used to train AI models?
No. Customer-uploaded documents and prompts are never used for model training at Lamina Labs.

### Can I use Simi videos for commercial purposes?
Commercial usage rights are available exclusively to Business customers under an agreement with Lamina Labs.

## Contact

- Email: founder@laminalabs.ai
- Book a founder call: https://lamina-labs.cal.com/lamina
- Y Combinator: https://www.ycombinator.com/companies/lamina-labs
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mk314k/
- X (Twitter): https://x.com/mk314k
- GitHub: https://github.com/mk314k