Amidst the proliferation of AI-generated content, the startup First Voyage aims to empower individuals to cultivate desired habits and steer clear of low-quality AI output. Their solution is an AI companion application, Momo Self Care, which features a virtual pet named Momo. Users nurture Momo, and in exchange, it prompts them to fulfill their habit-forming goals.
The app allows users to schedule task reminders, which Momo then delivers. Much like the popular productivity application, Focus Friend, Momo grants users coins upon task completion, which can be spent on in-app purchases to personalize their pet. Additionally, individuals can discuss self-care with Momo, and the AI companion will suggest relevant habits and tasks tailored to their objectives.
Besart Çopa, co-founder and CEO, informed TechCrunch that “Momo assists users in reaching their full potential, and in return, users show Momo care, affection, and adorn it with charming accessories.” He co-founded First Voyage with Egehan Ozsoy, the CTO.
First Voyage announced on Monday that it successfully secured $2.5 million in seed funding, with contributions from investors including a16z speedrun, SignalFire, and True Global.
Çopa stated that users of Momo have already established over 2 million tasks within the platform, with the most frequently adopted habits centered around productivity, spirituality, and mindfulness.
However, as numerous AI applications and gadgets enter the market, alongside the growing impact of AI chatbots such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Grok, there is rising apprehension that these emerging “companions” might potentially cause more detriment than benefit.
Çopa, personally, anticipates a surge in human-AI character relationships in the coming years. Nevertheless, he pointed out that the proliferation of AI apps focused on wellness and self-care is preferable to those catering to more primal impulses.
He expressed satisfaction that “so many founders [and] startups are dedicated to the AI self-care wellness sector rather than developing waifus,” asserting that “the personalization capabilities of AI will elevate the influence of these interactions significantly.”
He highlighted that Momo incorporates safety measures, including prompt filters, to ensure that AI-user conversations remain within acceptable limits.
The newly acquired funds from the fundraising round will facilitate Momo’s launch on the Android app store, complementing its existing iOS availability. Furthermore, the First Voyage team intends to enhance Momo’s intelligence in its interactions with users.
Çopa articulated his vision: “We aspire for Momo and its surrounding community to evolve into a seminal consumer brand, leveraging optimal AI, animation, and gamification to enrich as many lives as feasible.”