TLDR: Berlin-based startup Born, formerly Slay, has successfully raised $15 million in Series A funding, with Accel as a lead investor. The company develops AI-powered companion apps, including its flagship “co-parenting” virtual penguin, Pengu, which leverages generative AI for evolving personalities and conversations. The new capital will fuel product expansion, including new characters and a human-style companion, and support the opening of a New York office.
Berlin-based AI companion app developer Born, previously known as Slay, has announced a successful Series A funding round, securing $15 million from prominent investors including Accel, Tencent, and Laton Ventures. This latest investment brings the startup’s total funding to $25 million since its founding in 2022.
Born specializes in creating AI-powered “characters” designed for emotional connection, which are distributed as App Store applications. Its most notable offering, Pengu, is a virtual penguin that has garnered over 15 million registered users globally. Users can personalize Pengu’s environment, engage in mini-games, and even “co-parent” the digital companion with other users.
A key differentiator for Born’s technology, particularly Pengu, is its foundation in generative AI models, including those developed by OpenAI. Unlike earlier digital companions such as Tamagotchis or Nintendogs, Pengu’s personality and conversational abilities evolve dynamically based on user interactions, moving beyond pre-scripted responses.
Luca Bocchio, a partner at Accel, expressed confidence in Born’s potential, stating, “With emotionally intelligent AI characters, the Born team has the potential to create a new consumer social category.” Existing investors in the company include Ilkka Paananen, co-founder of gaming unicorn Supercell, and Alexander Pall from the popular band The Chainsmokers.
The newly acquired capital is earmarked for significant product expansion. This includes the introduction of additional characters within the Pengu ecosystem, the development of a new human-style AI companion, and the establishment of a New York office later this year.
Born’s funding round comes at a time of increasing scrutiny for AI chatbots, particularly those designed for companionship. Concerns have been raised regarding unsafe chatbot interactions, with several developers facing legal challenges from families alleging that such interactions contributed to their children’s deaths. In response to these concerns, Born emphasizes its commitment to user safety. The company has implemented its own content filters and employs regular human oversight to mitigate risks, complementing the built-in safeguards provided by OpenAI’s models.
Born is part of a growing trend of European startups leveraging advancements in AI to develop companion applications. For instance, in January, UK-based Oh, a platform that generates NSFW adult content and conversations with both fictional characters and bots based on real people, raised $4.5 million in funding.
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The company’s journey began in 2022, and it has since launched five consumer social apps that have achieved global #1 rankings on the App Store. Born’s leadership team is focused on building the future of digital life, creating AI characters that grow, evolve, and connect like humans.
