Robyn AI Companion Aims to Bridge Emotional Disconnection
Key Points
- Jenny Shah, former physician, founded Robyn to provide an empathetic AI companion.
- Robyn offers personalized emotional insights while refusing non‑personal tasks.
- Safety guardrails include crisis line numbers and emergency department referrals.
- Seed funding of $5.5 million led by M13 and notable tech investors.
- Team grew from three to ten members as the product prepared for U.S. launch.
- Subscription priced at $19.99 per month or $199 per year, available on iOS.
- Investors cite Robyn’s potential to address the growing emotional disconnection.
Former physician Jenny Shao left her Harvard residency to launch Robyn, an empathetic AI companion designed to support users without replacing clinicians. The app uses an emotional memory system to offer personalized insights, such as emotional fingerprints and attachment styles, while enforcing safety guardrails that provide crisis line numbers and direct users to emergency care when needed. Backed by a $5.5 million seed round led by M13, Robyn is priced at $19.99 per month and has grown from three to ten team members. Investors praise its potential to strengthen human connections in an increasingly disconnected world.
Founding Vision
Jenny Shah, a former physician who was in a Harvard residency during the pandemic, observed the neurological impact of isolation and decided to leave medicine to create Robyn, an AI companion focused on empathy and emotional intelligence. She positions the product as neither a friendship app nor a clinical replacement, emphasizing its role as a supportive partner that knows users well.
Product Features
Robyn’s onboarding process asks users about goals, reactions to challenges, and preferred tone. As conversations continue, the app generates insights into users’ patterns, describing traits such as emotional fingerprint, attachment style, love language, growth edge, and inner critic. The AI refuses non‑personal requests, redirects users to crisis hotlines, and can point them toward the nearest emergency department if self‑harm is mentioned.
Safety and Guardrails
Safety is a core priority. The system includes built‑in guardrails that push back on certain topics, provide crisis line numbers, and ensure escalation for real danger. Investors highlighted the need for such safeguards, noting that AI will become as familiar as family and friends.
Funding and Growth
Robyn secured $5.5 million in seed funding led by M13, with participation from Google Maps co‑founder Lars Rasmussen, early Canva investor Bill Tai, ex‑Yahoo CFO Ken Goldman, and X.ai co‑founder Christian Szegedy. The team expanded from three members at the start of the year to ten. Rasmussen praised the emotional memory system, and M13 partner Latif Parecha stressed the importance of guardrails for user safety.
Market Position and Pricing
The app is positioned as a paid subscription service costing $19.99 a month or $199 a year. It is available on iOS and is being launched in the United States after months of testing with a select user group.
Investor Perspective
Investors described the broader problem as a “massive disconnection problem,” stating that while people are surrounded by technology, they feel less understood than ever. Robyn aims to help users reflect, recognize patterns, and reconnect with themselves first, then with others.