Tencent backs China sci-fi studio Waking Dreams Media in early VC round

What's the deal? Waking Dreams MediaDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has secured a strategic investment from Tencent, the company announced in September 2026. The early-stage round marks the tech giant's bet on a studio using AIGC to reshape science-fiction storytelling.

What's the endgame? Founded in 2017, Waking Dreams Media is a controlled subsidiary of Sichuan Xin Media Group. It wants to become China's leading science-fiction label by rebuilding sci-fi narratives with artificial intelligence-generated content.

The signal: Tencent's backing links a deep-pocketed platform to a niche content studio, positioning AIGC as a tool for scaling China's homegrown sci-fi output.

Image credit: Generated with Gemini