How does Kibi turn real pets into interactive companion avatars?

Users can upload a photo of their real pet to generate a custom digital companion directly on the device. Because owners naturally care for their pets, they set custom behavioral rules and interaction preferences for the character based on their personal routines. This creates an emotional bond where the pet avatar accompanies the user throughout daily tasks.

What are the unit economics and inference costs behind Kibi?

The device operates on a 300-ruble subscription model that renews six months after purchase. In comparison, user AI queries average roughly 15 rubles per month in inference expenses. This large margin between cloud inference costs and recurring revenue provides a clear path to unit profitability.

How does Kibi keep users retained after the initial novelty wears off?

Kibi maintains daily retention through deep avatar customization paired with slot-machine-style engagement mechanics. The device combines steady utility for voice notes and reminders with unpredictable rewards and personalized companion feedback. This balance keeps the hardware integrated into a user's daily habits over the long term.

How does Kibi manufacture its hardware devices?

The company produces devices using multi-color 3D printing for limited batch runs rather than relying on traditional casting molds. Hardware cycles can be adjusted within hours by using an embedded ESP32 architecture and in-house additive manufacturing. This strategy maintains rapid prototyping speed while avoiding high tooling expenses.

Why won't smartphone OS voice assistants replace Kibi?

Smartphones remain general-purpose devices with multi-step interfaces that make spontaneous companion interactions inconvenient. Kibi sets itself apart through deep physical and behavioral customization tailored to individual lifestyles. The dedicated form factor avoids the distraction and friction inherent to smartphone operating systems.

Where is Kibi headquartered?

Kibi is based in Tyumen, Russia.

Kibi was founded by Denis Vasilev.

How many people work at Kibi?

Kibi has 1-5 employees on record.

Startups, assessed

Measured against what YC, a16z, Sequoia and Vela have actually backed, not what they say they look for.

All companies

Our viewWritten October 2026Researched by Vela

Kibi

Kibi builds a pocket-sized AI companion keychain for consumers to capture instant voice notes and manage daily habits without phone friction.

Other
Consumers
Hardware + software
buykibi.ru ↗

Founded: 2024; Public record
Based in: Tyumen, Russia; Public record
Stage: Pre-seed / Bootstrapped; Public record
Team: 1-5; Public record
Products: Kibi; Public record
Customers: Consumers; Founder interview
Entity: IP Vasilev Denis Vladimirovich; Public record

Hardware prototyping and additive manufacturing leadership

How they got here, and what they bring that the company needs.

DV
Denis Vasilev
Founder · LinkedIn ↗
OOO Studiia 3D Pechati AINDKibi
- 3.2 years of leadership running an additive manufacturing and hardware development enterprise.
- Hands-on experience in CAD modeling, custom hardware development, and rapid prototyping.
- Direct background taking physical device prototypes from design to production.

What they build

An everyday keychain companion combining embedded voice processing, custom digital avatars, and multi-color 3D-printed hardware.

Kibi
A pocket AI companion key fob with voice recording and custom avatars
Built on the ESP32 platform with multi-color 3D-printed enclosures, Kibi functions as an everyday companion that clips onto keychains. Two built-in microphones capture voice notes and reminders across daily routines. Each device ships with a charging dock, carabiner, and pendant for 3,170 RUB.

Avatar Setup
Generate custom companion avatars
Users upload a pet photo to create a digital character and establish its behavioral rules.
Voice Notes
Capture spoken reminders on device
Dual built-in microphones record tasks and notes across daily activities.
Hardware Dock
Recharge on dedicated stand
The fob docks into its bundled charging station between outings.

How they win customers

Direct hardware sales establish the customer entry point for high-margin recurring voice subscriptions.

Hardware purchase
Direct online acquisition
Customers buy the companion device directly on buykibi.ru for 3,170 RUB with free shipping and included accessories.
Customization
Personalized daily companion
Users configure custom characters, daily voice reminders, and modular extensibility features for routine tasks.
Subscription
Recurring voice renewal
Users renew through a 300 RUB subscription six months after purchase against average request costs of 15 RUB per month.

Momentum

Where the company is today, and the track record behind it.

Revenue over time

The chart fills in as they report

Monthly revenue, renewals and expansion will draw here once the founders share them.

Web traffic · funding

Not public yet

No public traffic or funding rounds on record yet.

Where Kibi stands apart

A dedicated physical button and tailored pet avatars provide frictionless logging and personal attachment.

Dedicated button activationvs smartphone app entry
A single physical press records daily information instantly without navigating smartphone menus or typing.
Custom pet avatarsvs standard voice assistants
Users turn photos of their own pets into interactive characters governed by personalized lifestyle rules.

Investor fit

How each fund's thesis reads the company. Vela's view is our own; any other fund's is a comparison with what that fund has backed.

a16z portfolio fit

Compared with what a16z has backed

Partial fit

Denis brings end-to-end hardware capability across CAD, mechanical design, ESP32 prototypes, and embedded firmware, having built high-speed 3D printers and custom air purifiers.
Kibi is produced as a functional consumer device available for purchase at buykibi.ru for 3,170 RUB, alongside a manufacturing operation running since August 2023.
Denis demonstrated early competitive recognition by ranking 21st among 1,300 student startups in 2025 and securing two grants totalling 2 million RUB.

Principles met6 of 14

What's next for Kibi

The milestones that turn a strong start into a category leader.

Next
Establish agile hardware production with multi-color 3D printing
Kibi is moving to limited edition releases using multi-color 3D printers instead of traditional injection moulding to scale manufacturing quickly.
Then
Complete US incorporation and relocation
The company is finalizing its US corporate structure within two months to support international distribution.
After
Onboard marketing leaders to accelerate adoption
Kibi will expand marketing capabilities by bringing on top commercial talent to drive unit sales and customer retention.

Where this comes from

Researched by Vela. The company chose to be listed and what appears here.

Company site · products, positioning
LinkedIn · founders and company
Crunchbase · no rounds on record
SimilarWeb · not tracked yet
Founder interview · traction and economics

Questions

Kibi is designed as a standalone hardware fob because smartphone workflows are too fragmented for immediate voice capture. Founder Denis Vasilev argues that finding a phone, replying to distracting messages, opening an app, and typing introduces unnecessary friction compared to pressing a single button. The pocket-sized hardware keeps voice memos, task reminders, and companion avatars immediately accessible.

All companies

Our viewWritten October 2026Researched by Vela

Kibi

Kibi builds a pocket-sized AI companion keychain for consumers to capture instant voice notes and manage daily habits without phone friction.

Other
Consumers
Hardware + software
buykibi.ru ↗

Founded: 2024; Public record
Based in: Tyumen, Russia; Public record
Stage: Pre-seed / Bootstrapped; Public record
Team: 1-5; Public record
Products: Kibi; Public record
Customers: Consumers; Founder interview
Entity: IP Vasilev Denis Vladimirovich; Public record

Hardware prototyping and additive manufacturing leadership

How they got here, and what they bring that the company needs.

DV
Denis Vasilev
Founder · LinkedIn ↗
OOO Studiia 3D Pechati AINDKibi
- 3.2 years of leadership running an additive manufacturing and hardware development enterprise.
- Hands-on experience in CAD modeling, custom hardware development, and rapid prototyping.
- Direct background taking physical device prototypes from design to production.

What they build

An everyday keychain companion combining embedded voice processing, custom digital avatars, and multi-color 3D-printed hardware.

Kibi
A pocket AI companion key fob with voice recording and custom avatars
Built on the ESP32 platform with multi-color 3D-printed enclosures, Kibi functions as an everyday companion that clips onto keychains. Two built-in microphones capture voice notes and reminders across daily routines. Each device ships with a charging dock, carabiner, and pendant for 3,170 RUB.

Avatar Setup
Generate custom companion avatars
Users upload a pet photo to create a digital character and establish its behavioral rules.
Voice Notes
Capture spoken reminders on device
Dual built-in microphones record tasks and notes across daily activities.
Hardware Dock
Recharge on dedicated stand
The fob docks into its bundled charging station between outings.

How they win customers

Direct hardware sales establish the customer entry point for high-margin recurring voice subscriptions.

Hardware purchase
Direct online acquisition
Customers buy the companion device directly on buykibi.ru for 3,170 RUB with free shipping and included accessories.
Customization
Personalized daily companion
Users configure custom characters, daily voice reminders, and modular extensibility features for routine tasks.
Subscription
Recurring voice renewal
Users renew through a 300 RUB subscription six months after purchase against average request costs of 15 RUB per month.

Momentum

Where the company is today, and the track record behind it.

Revenue over time

The chart fills in as they report

Monthly revenue, renewals and expansion will draw here once the founders share them.

Web traffic · funding

Not public yet

No public traffic or funding rounds on record yet.

Where Kibi stands apart

A dedicated physical button and tailored pet avatars provide frictionless logging and personal attachment.

Dedicated button activationvs smartphone app entry
A single physical press records daily information instantly without navigating smartphone menus or typing.
Custom pet avatarsvs standard voice assistants
Users turn photos of their own pets into interactive characters governed by personalized lifestyle rules.

Investor fit

How each fund's thesis reads the company. Vela's view is our own; any other fund's is a comparison with what that fund has backed.

a16z portfolio fit

Compared with what a16z has backed

Partial fit

Denis brings end-to-end hardware capability across CAD, mechanical design, ESP32 prototypes, and embedded firmware, having built high-speed 3D printers and custom air purifiers.
Kibi is produced as a functional consumer device available for purchase at buykibi.ru for 3,170 RUB, alongside a manufacturing operation running since August 2023.
Denis demonstrated early competitive recognition by ranking 21st among 1,300 student startups in 2025 and securing two grants totalling 2 million RUB.

Principles met6 of 14

What's next for Kibi

The milestones that turn a strong start into a category leader.

Next
Establish agile hardware production with multi-color 3D printing
Kibi is moving to limited edition releases using multi-color 3D printers instead of traditional injection moulding to scale manufacturing quickly.
Then
Complete US incorporation and relocation
The company is finalizing its US corporate structure within two months to support international distribution.
After
Onboard marketing leaders to accelerate adoption
Kibi will expand marketing capabilities by bringing on top commercial talent to drive unit sales and customer retention.

Where this comes from

Researched by Vela. The company chose to be listed and what appears here.

Company site · products, positioning
LinkedIn · founders and company
Crunchbase · no rounds on record
SimilarWeb · not tracked yet
Founder interview · traction and economics

Hardware prototyping and additive manufacturing leadership

Denis Vasilev

What they build

How they win customers

Momentum

Where Kibi stands apart

Investor fit

What's next for Kibi

Where this comes from

Questions

Why did Kibi build a dedicated key fob instead of an app?−

How does Kibi turn real pets into interactive companion avatars?+

What are the unit economics and inference costs behind Kibi?+

How does Kibi keep users retained after the initial novelty wears off?+

How does Kibi manufacture its hardware devices?+

Why won't smartphone OS voice assistants replace Kibi?+

Where is Kibi headquartered?+

When was Kibi founded?+

Who founded Kibi?+

How many people work at Kibi?+

Hardware prototyping and additive manufacturing leadership

Denis Vasilev

What they build

How they win customers

Momentum

Where Kibi stands apart

Investor fit

What's next for Kibi

Where this comes from

Questions

Why did Kibi build a dedicated key fob instead of an app?−

How does Kibi turn real pets into interactive companion avatars?+

What are the unit economics and inference costs behind Kibi?+

How does Kibi keep users retained after the initial novelty wears off?+

How does Kibi manufacture its hardware devices?+

Why won't smartphone OS voice assistants replace Kibi?+

Where is Kibi headquartered?+

When was Kibi founded?+

Who founded Kibi?+

How many people work at Kibi?+