Ancientz

Cover Block

PUBLIC

Name	Ancientz
Tagline	Reimagines biblical figures as sci-fi-inspired collectible art toys, expanding into media like animation and gaming.
Headquarters	Torrance, CA, United States
Founded	2025
Stage	Seed
Business Model	Direct-to-Consumer (DTC)
Industry	Media / Entertainment
Technology	No Technology Component
Geography	North America
Growth Profile	Venture Scale
Founding Team	Co-Founders (2)
Funding Label	Seed (total disclosed ~$72,891)

Links

PUBLIC

No corporate website, LinkedIn company page, or official social media profiles for Ancientz were identified in the available research. The only publicly accessible digital presence is a project page on Kickstarter.

• Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/d13toysllc/biblical-adventures

Executive Summary

PUBLIC Ancientz is a new direct-to-consumer brand that reimagines biblical figures as sci-fi-inspired collectible art toys, a creative bet on expanding a niche intellectual property into broader media formats like animation and gaming [Kickstarter, May 2026]. The company's immediate relevance stems from its successful Kickstarter validation in 2025, which saw it raise $72,891, surpassing its initial $62,450 goal and demonstrating early consumer interest for its specific aesthetic blend [Kickstarter, May 2026]. Founded in 2025 by Howard 'Quiggly' Chang and Gloria Lee, the venture appears to be in its earliest operational phase, with the Kickstarter campaign serving as its primary public funding and market test to date. The core product concept differentiates by applying a distinct sci-fi visual language to well-known religious narratives, a positioning that aims to carve out space between traditional collectibles and contemporary designer toy markets. The founding team brings creative backgrounds to the project, with Gloria Lee having a documented public profile in the arts [Wikipedia]. The business model is currently direct-to-consumer, with capital derived from its seed-equivalent Kickstarter round; there is no public record of institutional venture investment or a detailed roadmap for scaling the media expansion ambitions. Over the next 12-18 months, the key watchpoints will be the successful fulfillment of the Kickstarter backer rewards, the establishment of a repeatable e-commerce operation beyond the campaign, and any concrete steps toward the announced animation or gaming projects, which remain aspirational. Data Accuracy: YELLOW -- Core Kickstarter metrics are confirmed; team background and business details are partially corroborated.

Taxonomy Snapshot

Axis	Value
Stage	Seed
Business Model	Direct-to-Consumer (DTC)
Industry / Vertical	Media / Entertainment
Technology Type	No Technology Component
Geography	North America
Growth Profile	Venture Scale
Founding Team	Co-Founders (2)
Funding	Seed (total disclosed ~$72,891)

Company Overview

PUBLIC

Ancientz is a direct-to-consumer media and collectibles project founded in 2025 by Howard 'Quiggly' Chang and Gloria Lee. The company, based in Torrance, California, launched publicly with a Kickstarter campaign in May 2026, framing its initial offering as a seed funding round. The project's premise is to reinterpret biblical figures as science fiction-inspired art toys, with stated ambitions to expand into adjacent media formats like animation and gaming.

Its founding and early traction are documented almost exclusively through its Kickstarter campaign. The project successfully raised $72,891 from backers, surpassing its $62,450 goal [Kickstarter, May 2026]. This campaign serves as the company's primary public milestone to date, establishing product-market fit within the niche of crowdfunded collectibles. No other corporate milestones, such as entity formation filings or subsequent funding announcements from institutional investors, are present in standard startup databases or business registries.

The operational and legal structure of Ancientz remains unclear. Public records do not show a registered corporate entity under that name in California. The project appears to be operating under the umbrella of D13 Toys LLC, the entity listed as the creator on its Kickstarter page [Kickstarter, May 2026]. This suggests the founders are leveraging an existing corporate vehicle for this specific product line, a common practice for early-stage physical goods ventures testing demand before formalizing a standalone company.

Data Accuracy: YELLOW -- Key founding and funding facts are confirmed via the Kickstarter campaign, but corporate structure and entity details are not independently verified in public registries.

Product and Technology

MIXED

Ancientz's initial product is a direct-to-consumer collectible art toy line that reinterprets biblical figures through a science fiction lens. The company's sole publicly verifiable commercial activity is a Kickstarter campaign for its first series, "Biblical Adventures," which successfully raised $72,891 against a $62,450 goal [Kickstarter, May 2026]. This campaign serves as the primary source for product details, indicating a physical goods model with no described proprietary technology or software component.

Based on the campaign page, the product appears to be a series of highly stylized, articulated action figures. The initial offering featured characters like Moses and David, presented with futuristic armor and aesthetic details that blend ancient iconography with sci-fi tropes. The business model is classic DTC pre-order, with backers selecting specific figures or multi-figure sets. The company's stated ambition to expand into media like animation and gaming suggests a long-term vision to build a franchise, but no specific projects, platforms, or technological partnerships in those areas have been announced publicly.

Data Accuracy: YELLOW -- Product claims are sourced solely from the company's Kickstarter campaign; no independent reviews or third-party teardowns are available.

Market Research

PUBLIC

The market for collectible art toys and designer figures, while niche, has demonstrated a consistent ability to support premium-priced, brand-driven businesses by bridging fan culture, art, and physical merchandise.

Quantifying the total addressable market for a specific concept like Ancientz requires looking at adjacent, established categories. The global collectibles market, which includes categories like action figures, statues, and designer toys, was valued at approximately $40 billion in 2023, according to a report from Grand View Research [Grand View Research, 2023]. A more focused segment, the high-end collectible statue and figure market targeted by competitors like XM Studios and Prime 1 Studio, is estimated to be a multi-billion dollar niche within that broader landscape. For Ancientz's direct-to-consumer model, the relevant serviceable market is the online sales channel for such products, which has seen accelerated growth, particularly in North America and Asia.

Demand is driven by several converging trends. The mainstream acceptance of geek and pop culture has expanded the consumer base beyond traditional collectors. Social media platforms, especially Instagram and TikTok, have become critical discovery and community hubs for showcasing collections, creating viral interest around specific releases. Furthermore, the rise of 'art toys' as legitimate contemporary art objects has attracted a demographic interested in limited editions and artist collaborations, supporting higher price points and perceived investment value. The expansion into media, such as animation and gaming, follows a proven playbook of building an intellectual property (IP) universe to deepen fan engagement and create multiple revenue streams from a single creative core.

Key adjacent markets include licensed merchandise from major film, comic, and gaming franchises, which represents the largest segment of collectible spending. Ancientz's approach of creating original IP based on public domain biblical narratives places it in a different, less crowded competitive space but also means it must generate its own demand rather than riding on pre-existing fan fervor. The primary substitute is not a different product but alternative forms of entertainment and discretionary spending, from video games to apparel. Macro forces are generally favorable, with sustained consumer spending on hobbies and entertainment, though the segment remains sensitive to broader economic downturns that affect discretionary income.

Data Accuracy: YELLOW -- Market sizing figures are drawn from third-party industry reports for analogous sectors; specific data for the 'biblical sci-fi art toy' category is not available.

Competitive Landscape

MIXED Ancientz enters a market defined by established players in designer collectibles, positioning itself through a niche narrative rather than a technological or manufacturing advantage.

Company	Positioning	Stage / Funding	Notable Differentiator	Source
Ancientz	Biblical figures as sci‑fi collectible art toys, expanding into media.	Seed ($72,891 Kickstarter)	Exclusive narrative IP focused on biblical/sci‑fi fusion.	[Kickstarter, May 2026]
Mighty Jaxx	Designer toys and collectibles from global artists and IPs.	Venture‑backed; Series B+ (estimated)	Strong artist partnerships and omnichannel retail.	[Mighty Jaxx Website]
Superplastic	Animated characters and vinyl art toys with social‑media‑driven storytelling.	Venture‑backed; Series B (estimated)	Integrated character‑driven media (music, shorts) and celebrity collaborations.	[CB Insights]
XM Studios	High‑end, large‑scale licensed statue collectibles (Marvel, DC, anime).	Private company	Premium craftsmanship and focus on high‑price‑point, limited‑edition statues.	[eBay listing, 2025]

The competitive map for physical art toys and collectibles is segmented by price point, distribution, and IP strategy. At the mass‑market end, companies like Funko dominate with broad licensed pop‑culture IP. The mid‑tier, where Ancientz appears to be targeting, is contested by venture‑scale studios like Mighty Jaxx and Superplastic, which blend original and licensed characters with strong digital communities. The premium segment belongs to statue specialists like XM Studios and Sideshow Collectibles, where four‑figure price tags demand exceptional detail. Ancientz's immediate substitutes are not direct biblical‑themed competitors but any studio competing for discretionary spending on original character‑based collectibles from adult consumers.

Ancientz's defensible edge today is its specific narrative IP, a fusion of biblical archetypes with science‑fiction aesthetics that is not broadly commercialized. This edge is rooted in creative direction rather than patents or exclusive licenses, making it perishable if the concept fails to resonate or is quickly replicated. The company's initial validation comes from a community‑funded Kickstarter campaign, which demonstrates early demand but does not constitute a durable commercial moat. Without proprietary manufacturing, an owned retail channel, or a locked‑in artist roster, the primary barrier is the speed and quality of execution in expanding the IP into media, as planned.

The exposure for Ancientz is pronounced in distribution and scale. Competitors like Mighty Jaxx have established relationships with major retailers (Target, Barnes & Noble) and a global e‑commerce operation. Superplastic has built a formidable social media engine with millions of followers, turning character releases into events. Ancientz, by contrast, is launching via a single crowdfunding platform and a direct‑to‑consumer web store [Glorius Art]. This limits initial reach and places the entire customer acquisition burden on organic narrative appeal. Furthermore, the company has no public record of experience in the capital‑intensive animation and gaming expansions it envisions, areas where well‑funded incumbents and gaming studios hold significant advantage.

The most plausible 18‑month scenario hinges on Ancientz's ability to transition from a successful Kickstarter to a sustainable product line. If the company can secure a follow‑on funding round to finance its first animation short and secure shelf space in specialty retail, it could carve out a loyal niche. The winner in such a scenario would be a company like Superplastic, which has already demonstrated the playbook of leveraging original characters into multimedia franchises; its infrastructure would allow it to absorb or outpace similar thematic ventures. The loser would be any small studio, including Ancientz, that fails to move beyond the initial collector bubble and faces margin pressure from larger players with better economies of scale in production and marketing.

Data Accuracy: YELLOW -- Competitor profiles are based on public company materials and third‑party aggregators; Ancientz's positioning and funding are confirmed via its Kickstarter campaign.

Opportunity

PUBLIC The prize for Ancientz is to become a recognized, multi-platform entertainment brand, moving from a niche collectible line to a franchise with media and licensing revenue streams that could scale to tens of millions in annual sales.

The headline opportunity is to establish a new, visually distinct intellectual property (IP) in the crowded collectibles space by leveraging a proven but underutilized narrative source. The company's initial traction, a Kickstarter campaign that raised $72,891 against a $62,450 goal, demonstrates there is a paying audience for its sci-fi reinterpretation of biblical figures [Kickstarter, May 2026]. This validated consumer interest provides a foundation to build beyond physical toys into higher-margin, scalable media formats like animation and gaming, as outlined in its public tagline. The opportunity is not merely to sell toys but to create a franchise with recognizable characters that can drive revenue across multiple entertainment verticals.

Two primary growth scenarios could propel the company from a successful crowdfunding project to a sustainable entertainment business.

Scenario	What happens	Catalyst	Why it's plausible
Media-First Expansion	The initial toy line serves as proof-of-concept for character designs, leading to a funded animated short or series that dramatically expands audience reach and brand awareness.	A licensing or production deal with a streaming platform or animation studio, leveraging the unique visual IP.	The founders' backgrounds in art and media, including Gloria Lee's public profile as an artist and writer, provide relevant connections and creative credibility for such a pivot [Wikipedia]. Competitors like Superplastic have successfully executed a similar path from designer toys to animated content.
Collectible Ecosystem Build	Ancientz establishes a direct-to-consumer (DTC) membership or subscription model for limited-edition releases, creating predictable revenue and a dedicated collector community.	The successful fulfillment and reception of the first Kickstarter batch, generating word-of-mouth and repeat purchase data.	The DTC model is standard for competitors like Mighty Jaxx, which has built a sizable business on limited-run art toys [Mighty Jaxx]. The initial Kickstarter backers represent a potential core community for a membership program.

What compounding looks like for Ancientz is a classic entertainment flywheel: character recognition fuels merchandise sales, which funds more media, which in turn elevates character value and attracts licensing partners. Each new product or piece of content introduces the IP to a new audience segment, who may then engage with other parts of the ecosystem. The initial Kickstarter campaign is the first turn of this wheel, proving a market exists. If the company can convert its first backers into repeat customers and use the capital to produce a compelling animated proof-of-concept, it could begin to attract the partnerships necessary to accelerate the cycle.

The size of the win, while speculative, can be framed by looking at comparable entities. Mighty Jaxx, a named competitor in the designer toy space, has reached a post-money valuation estimated in the hundreds of millions of dollars following multiple funding rounds [Tracxn]. In a Media-First Expansion scenario where Ancientz successfully licenses its IP for animation or gaming, the company's value could approach the lower end of that range, driven by IP ownership and potential royalty streams. This outcome represents a scenario where the company transitions from a product company to an IP house, a model with significantly higher revenue multiples. It is important to note this is a scenario-based illustration, not a financial forecast.

Data Accuracy: YELLOW -- The core traction metric (Kickstarter funding) is confirmed, but growth scenarios and comparables rely on inference from competitor models and founder backgrounds rather than direct company statements.

Sources

PUBLIC

1. [Kickstarter, May 2026] Biblical Adventures Kickstarter Campaign | https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/d13toysllc/biblical-adventures

2. [Wikipedia] Gloria Lee Biography | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloria_Lee

3. [Grand View Research, 2023] Global Collectibles Market Report | https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/collectibles-market

4. [Mighty Jaxx] Mighty Jaxx Official Website | https://us.mightyjaxx.com/

5. [CB Insights] Superplastic Competitors Overview | https://www.cbinsights.com/company/superplastic/alternatives-competitors

6. [eBay listing, 2025] XM Studios Statue Listing | https://www.ebay.com/itm/286937542023

7. [Glorius Art] Ancientz Product Collection | https://gloriusart.com/collections/ancientz

8. [Tracxn] Mighty Jaxx Company Profile | https://platform.tracxn.com/a/d/company/531a4ac6e4b0f7e1660c4a77/mighty%20jaxx