The AI Toy Company Raises $5.3M Seed Funding Led by Makers Fund to Advance Emotionally Intelligent Companions That Grow With A Child
The AI Toy Company (formerly Magical Toys) has officially opened pre-orders for its new interactive conversational companion, bondu, for this holiday season. The announcement follows a successful year-long beta that shipped thousands of units across all 50 states, powered countless hours of play, and generated powerful testimonials from parents who say it’s making a lasting difference in their children’s lives.
Say hello to bondu: a friend who encourages imagination through interactive play. With bondu, kids can explore all their questions, dream up magical stories, crack jokes and play interactive games. Parents are able to stay in control through a dedicated app that makes it easy to monitor conversations and customize experiences. With safety at the core, bondu is carefully designed from the inside out to ensure safe, age-appropriate play while keeping every conversation secure. It’s also certified by the kidSAFE Seal Program, an independent safety certification designed exclusively for child-friendly connected technology.
Founded by Fateen Anam Rafid and toy design executive Dan Judkins, bondu is introducing a new era of play grounded in conversation and connection, not clicks and swipes. “Our mission is to pioneer the category of screen-free, conversational companions that help kids imagine, play and discover… a vision captured in the name bondu, which means ‘friend’ in Bangla,” said Fateen Anam Rafid, founder and CEO, The AI Toy Company. “With bondu, children gain an emotionally supportive, intelligent companion that sparks creativity, builds confidence, and grows alongside them through the power of conversation.”
Fateen and Dan recently announced they have secured $5.3M in seed funding led by Makers Fund with participation from Samsung Ventures, Boost VC, and Founders Inc. “We’re incredibly excited about what this investment makes possible for us… not just for our team, but the families we serve,” said Dan Judkins, Chief Product Officer, The AI Toy Company. “It allows us to build out a thoughtful eco-system for bondu, scale production, accelerate our go to market efforts and help us deliver bondu’s magic to kids everywhere, faster.”
For more information visit www.bondu.com and follow the latest updates on Facebook, Instagram and X.
About bondu
bondu was founded by Fateen Anam Rafid on the belief that play can do more than entertain; it can spark imagination, nurture emotional growth, and create lasting bonds. In Q4 ‘24, the company piloted Dino, a first-of-its-kind emotionally intelligent AI companion that evolves with every stage of childhood. The successful beta validated strong consumer demand and helped bondu secure $5.3M in seed funding to bring its vision to more families. Headquartered in San Francisco, California, bondu is reimagining the future of childhood play through the power of conversation and connection. For more information, visit www.bondu.com.
