Born Raises $15M to Revolutionize AI Companions with Human-Like Social Intelligence in Berlin
Berlin-based AI gaming startup Born is shaking up the digital companionship scene with a $15 million Series A funding round, pushing its total funding to $25 million.
Led by investors like Accel, Tencent, and Laton Ventures, with notable backers including Supercell’s co-founder Ilkka Paananen and The Chainsmokers’ Alexander Pall, Born is on a mission to combat loneliness through socially engaging AI experiences.
Unlike traditional chatbots, which CEO Fabian Kamberi critiques for fostering isolation, Born’s approach emphasizes shared, meaningful interactions that strengthen real-world relationships.
The startup’s flagship product, Pengu, is a generative AI-powered virtual pet app that’s amassed over 15 million users globally.
Think Tamagotchi meets Neopets, but with a twist: Pengu requires collaboration between users, like friends or partners, to raise and play mini-games with the adorable digital creature.
Operating on a freemium model with a Pengu Pass subscription for extra features, the app turns pet care into a cooperative project, blending AI engagement with human connection. While Born hasn’t disclosed paying user numbers, its focus on social dynamics has clearly resonated.
Born, formerly known as Slay—a teen-focused social media app centered on compliments—pivoted to AI companions while retaining its core ethos of fostering positive digital interactions.
The $15 million injection will fuel an ambitious roadmap: new Pengu characters, including a “cute” learning companion, and a stealth-mode social AI product aimed at 16- to 21-year-olds (though accessible to users as young as 13).
Built on OpenAI’s generative models with added safety layers, this upcoming product promises “culturally relevant” AI friends that share TikTok videos or Instagram Reels tailored to users’ tastes, potentially sparking viral network effects.
To support global scaling, Born is opening a New York office for marketing and AI research, led by head of finance Enrico Dal Re.
The focus will be on enhancing its character engine for consistent personalities and long-term memory, ensuring AI companions evolve alongside users.
With emotionally intelligent AI at its core, Born is poised to carve out a new category of consumer social apps that prioritize connection over isolation.
FAQ
What is Born’s AI companion app?
Born’s flagship app, Pengu, is a generative AI-powered virtual pet platform where users collaborate to raise and play with a digital creature, fostering real-world relationships.
How much funding has Born raised?
Born has raised $25 million in total, with its latest $15 million Series A round led by Accel, Tencent, and Laton Ventures, announced on September 10, 2025.
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