Rosebud AI Journaling App Raises $6M in Seed Funding
Rosebud, an AI-powered journaling app, has secured $6 million in seed funding to enhance its personalized self-reflection and personal growth features. The app acts as an AI mentor, analyzing journal entries to identify patterns and offer insights, questions, and guidance.
Rosebud aims to help users better understand themselves, build new habits, and track their goals. Since launching, users have journaled over 500 million words and spent more than 30 million minutes on the platform.
Founded by Experienced Entrepreneurs
Rosebud was founded in 2023 by Chrys Bader, Y Combinator alum and co-founder of Secret, and Sean Dadashi, a UC Berkeley Cognitive Science graduate. The pair met at a men's group and developed Rosebud based on their experiences with therapy and coaching.
“Everybody is different. Everyone has different languages, not just spoken languages, but different emotional languages, different ways of communication,” Bader explained in an interview. He emphasized that AI allows for personalized coaching and support previously unavailable. “One person might want validation and a soft approach, whereas somebody might want a challenging, ‘call me out on my BS’ approach. AI unlocks the ability to provide that personalized support at scale.”
Rosebud emphasizes that it is not meant to replace therapists but rather to increase access to quality mentorship.
Funding to Fuel Growth and Expansion
The company plans to use the funding to expand its four-person team with engineering and product talent and invest further in marketing. Rosebud will also enhance its proprietary memory technology and develop new app features.
Additionally, Rosebud is exploring partnerships with schools, businesses, and clinics to make its AI journal more accessible.
The seed round was led by Bessemer Venture Partners, with participation from 776, Initialized Capital, Fuel Capital, Avenir, Tim Ferriss, and other investors.
Privacy and Security
Rosebud ensures all journal data is encrypted and never shared with third parties or used to train AI models.
Future Vision: A Personalized Mentor for Everyone
Bader and Dadashi envision Rosebud as a long-term mentor, teacher, and partner. They imagine personalized content around major life milestones, like becoming a parent.
“What if everybody had something looking out for their best interests, helping them become their best selves?” Dadashi asked. “I’ve benefited greatly from mentorship and suffered when I haven't had it. AI enables this to be available to everyone. You can have something that’s thinking about you, trying to understand you, and is aligned with who you want to become.”
Availability and Pricing
Rosebud's basic journaling features are free. A $12.99 monthly subscription unlocks premium features like long-term memory, voice input, and call modes.
