A software startup founded by two University of Minnesota undergraduates has been quietly making inroads in the gaming world. Aes Efficio is building AI-powered tools aimed at beginner game developers, according to the company's co-founders.
Co-founder Alexander Weimer is a second-year electrical engineering major in the College of Science and Engineering. His co-founder, Justin Abraham, is also a second-year student at the university. The two are running the company while still carrying full course loads on campus.
The pitch behind Aes Efficio is accessibility: rather than requiring newcomers to learn the coding and design pipelines that typically gatekeep game development, the company's tools use AI to lower that barrier to entry. It's a niche that's drawn increasing interest from investors and studios nationally as AI-assisted development tools proliferate, but Aes Efficio's version comes from two students building it alongside problem sets and lab reports.
