Companion toys on the market today, many of them built around artificial intelligence, are typically aimed at children or older adults. Blinkko, by contrast, has targeted young people from the start.
Rather than treating conversation as the basis of companionship, founder Shen Tongxin told 36Kr:
“We don’t believe AI can truly accompany people.”
Based on that view, the early-stage team, which has received investment from MiraclePlus, built what Shen described as a “pet that sits on your shoulder.”
Seen only as a companion toy, the project is easy to misread. Its main purpose is not to fill the void of being alone, but to function as a social signal that can be carried into real-world settings.
The effort comes from a young team. Shen previously worked at Apple, where she focused on employee experience and used design to connect people and environments. The hardware lead studied at the Harvard Graduate School of Design and focused on human-computer interaction. The software lead graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, and previously worked as an AI engineer at a major Silicon Valley tech company.
Blinkko’s design grew out of the team’s earlier attempt to build a pet memorial app. After extensive user research, the founders found that, compared with a digital memorial on a phone, users wanted a physical form of companionship, something they could touch and carry with them. That insight pushed the team toward hardware.
“During the early validation stage, we used plush toys to create concept videos for four scenarios: a plush toy accompanying someone while they worked, ate, and commuted, and a final scenario in which two strangers connected in a park because they had the same plush toy. We found that users responded most strongly to the last, social scenario, because in that setting, you meet someone else through a plush toy,” Shen told 36Kr.
The founding team had also spent long periods studying and relocating overseas. Their experiences of loneliness, and their attempts to rebuild social networks in unfamiliar places, led them to a broader conclusion: AI should not replace people, but help strengthen connections between them. In Shen’s view, Generation Z does not lack ways to socialize. What it lacks is the confidence to approach other people, and a social cue that does not feel awkward.
Blinkko is designed to serve as that cue.
The plush pet attaches magnetically to the shoulder and is designed to sit at eye level with other people. When the user is speaking with someone, it remains physically present without demanding attention. That is both an aesthetic decision and an interaction model. The user does not need to look down and tend to it. Instead, the device enters social settings with the user and becomes part of what others notice.
On the technical side, the pet has a built-in lightweight AI model that can detect the user’s emotional state. By analyzing signals such as vocal tone and speaking rhythm, it identifies emotions and responds through body movements.
In the mobile app, Blinkko extends this idea of a social entry point into a digital system. Users can see other people who own the same pet and connect with them. The system also uses interests and movement patterns, together with large language models, to recommend potential matches and offline events.
At the same time, the app’s built-in city map and exploration features turn urban space into a social network that users can navigate. When users go out with Blinkko, they can unlock rewards or events in different locations, making each outing another opportunity for a real-world encounter.
These features include a light layer of gamification by design. Blinkko hopes that will draw people out of their homes, into the city, and ultimately toward one another.
Blinkko’s appearance and customizable design also give it some of the qualities of a trendy toy. Users can change the pet’s clothing and accessories, incorporate it into their outfits, and turn it into an outward-facing marker that others can recognize.
“Generation Z is very willing to express personality and community through accessories, and it is also more receptive to new social labels,” Shen told 36Kr. “When you take it out with you, it becomes a kind of social language in itself.”
Blinkko is expected to debut in the North American market in the first half of 2026 and will reach users through its independent website. In Shen’s view, young people in North America are more open to socializing with strangers, making the market a better fit for how the product is intended to be used.
In terms of commercialization, Blinkko plans to adopt a subscription model spanning both hardware and software. It also intends to expand around IP and work with offline venues such as cafes, livehouses, and art exhibitions to design events and other initiatives.
Blinkko’s team believes that, for young people, the question is not whether companionship exists, but how people can move toward one another more naturally. That is the thinking behind its latest product: reduce the visibility of AI and leave more room for human connection.
Behind that choice is a broader belief. AI does not have to replace people. It can also bring them back to one another. Blinkko’s answer begins with a companion resting on the user’s shoulder.
KrASIA features translated and adapted content that was originally published by 36Kr. This article was written by Qiao Yujie for 36Kr.