Born

The company’s business model operates on a freemium basis. Its flagship product, Pengu, allows users to collaboratively raise a virtual pet with friends and family, distinguishing itself from traditional AI companions that focus on one-on-one conversations by emphasizing group interaction. While the core app is free, users can subscribe to a premium pass for additional features. Since its launch, Born has introduced five consumer social apps that have achieved number one rankings on the App Store globally, with Pengu attracting over 15 million users worldwide.

Born has successfully raised a total of $25 million in funding. A significant Series A funding round in September 2025 brought in $15 million, led by Accel with participation from Tencent and Laton Ventures. The company is also backed by prominent angel investors, including Ilkka Paananen (CEO of Supercell), Riccardo Zacconi (Founder of King), Scott Belsky (CPO at Adobe), and Alexander Pall of The Chainsmokers. This capital is intended to accelerate product development, expand the team, and establish a New York office to focus on AI research and marketing. The company plans to introduce new, culturally diverse AI characters targeting the 13-21 age demographic.