25 Years of Film.
One Vision for AI.
MergeMate wasn't built by a startup. It was built by someone who spent 25 years living the problem.
Born from decades of sitting in editing suites, feeling the pain of repetitive workflows, and seeing the transformative potential of generative AI for professional video production.
From Tape Decks to AI Agents
It started with two Digital Betacam decks, a mixer, and an effects unit. That was a professional editing suite in the late 1990s. Every cut was physical, every decision final.
Thomas Fenkart spent 25 years in B2B commercial film production — from those tape decks through the non-linear revolution (Avid, Final Cut, Premiere) to today's GenAI frontier. Hundreds of commercial projects. Thousands of hours in the editing suite. An instinct for what works on screen — and what doesn't.
The camera revolution around 2010 was the first major shift: suddenly DSLRs and cameras like the RED could produce cinematic imagery that previously required equipment costing tens of thousands. But the real paradigm shift came with social media. Three deliverables became thirty. Agencies wanted 16:9, 9:16, 1:1 — all from the same shoot. The workload multiplied, but the tools stayed the same.
Then came generative AI. And everything changed again.
When Thomas saw the first AI-generated video clips reach production quality, the question wasn't "will this replace filmmakers?" It was: "Who builds the right tools to work with this?"
The answer was clear: it had to be someone who understood both worlds — the craft of storytelling and the engineering of AI systems. Thomas teamed up with his brother Christian, a software architect fluent in TypeScript, Python, and cloud infrastructure. Together, they founded Not Another Mate Software GmbH in Dornbirn, Austria.
"Build tools that bring 25 years of film craft into the AI era. Not just features — a way of working."
The first thing we built that felt right was an AI who actually understands production. Not a button. Not a feature. A creative partner we named Mergi. He has the same character guidelines we gave ourselves — direct, opinionated, no bullshit. He understands production language like 'cinematic, dark, no voiceover' and helps turn it into a workflow. That's what MergeMate is built around.
MergeMate.ai is the result. Not just another video editor with an AI button tacked on. A platform built from the ground up for the GenAI era — where Mergi understands your project, remembers your preferences, and takes autonomous action. Where generated footage, localization planning, and platform-specific versions can stay connected in one conversation.
The Journey
The Tape Era
Two Digital Betacam decks, a mixer, and an effects unit. That was a professional editing suite. Every cut was physical, every decision final. Thomas starts in commercial B2B film production — and learns the craft from the ground up.
The Non-Linear Era
The jump to non-linear editing changes everything. Suddenly, the entire film exists as a project on a hard drive. Avid, then Final Cut, then Premiere. Creative freedom explodes — and so does the pace of production.
DSLRs & Digital Cinema
DSLRs and cameras like the RED democratize cinematic imagery. At the same time, social media reshapes content: three deliverables become thirty. Agencies want 16:9, 9:16, 1:1 — all from the same shoot. The workload multiplies, but the tools stay the same.
First Software Experiments
Thomas begins building custom tools for his own production workflow — image recognition for footage, metadata tagging, automated asset management. The first taste of what software can do for filmmakers.
The Rise of GenAI
Generative AI reshapes the creative landscape. AI-generated imagery, text, and eventually video go from experiment to production-ready. The question is no longer 'can AI create content?' — it's 'who builds the right tools to work with it?'
MergeMate.ai is Born
Thomas teams up with his brother Christian — a software architect fluent in TypeScript, Python, and cloud infrastructure. Together, they found Not Another Mate Software GmbH in Dornbirn, Austria. The mission: build an AI-first video editing platform that merges 25 years of filmmaking craft with the power of GenAI.
The Founders
Thomas Fenkart
THE DIRECTOR
Vision & Film
25 years in the editing suite. Knows countless shots and tons of AI models. Thomas brings a quarter century of commercial filmmaking experience — from linear tape editing through the non-linear revolution to today's GenAI frontier.
- Commercial Film & Post-Production
- AI Video Generation & Prompting
- Creative Direction & Storytelling
- Multi-format Content Strategy
Christian Fenkart
THE ARCHITECT
Tech & Code
Speaks fluent TypeScript and Python. Builds the foundation of our dreams. Christian engineers the platform architecture — from team collaboration to AI model orchestration and cloud-native production workflows.
- TypeScript & Python
- AI/ML Model Integration
- Cloud Architecture & GPU Rendering
- Real-time Collaboration Systems
Not Another Mate Software GmbH
Location
Steinebach 3
6850 Dornbirn, Vorarlberg
Austria (European Union)
MergeMate is in Early Access. We're looking for co-builders — not beta testers.
Join Early AccessSee What We're Building
MergeMate.ai is built by founders combining 25+ years of professional film production with software architecture for AI orchestration, collaboration, and cloud workflows.
By Thomas Fenkart — 25+ years in professional video production · Last updated: March 2026
Get in early.
Shape what it becomes.
MergeMate is in Early Access. We're not looking for beta testers — we're looking for co-builders. Get in now, shape what it becomes, and pay a lot less than everyone who waits.