A new wave of AI-driven consumer startups is gaining traction among investors in 2025, with many of these platforms blending artificial intelligence with real-world interaction to reshape how people connect, discover, and build communities, Business Insider reports.
Vanessa Larco, former New Enterprise Associates partner and founder of the venture firm Premise, told Business Insider, "We're on the brink of another big consumer wave" as interest returns to early-stage consumer tech startups.
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Meet the Game-Changing Startups Using AI to Reshape Human Connection
The following 12 companies were identified by venture capitalists as emerging leaders across dating, social networking, faith, fashion, and in-person experience, with several being backed by top firms including Y Combinator and Thrive Capital.
1. Sitch
This AI matchmaking app uses a chatbot trained by human matchmakers to suggest five setups per week, with tiers from $90 to $160, Business Insider reports. Larco, through Premise, has invested in the company as an angel investor.
2. Margins
Margins is a social reading platform designed for the BookTok generation. Since launching in December, the app has grown to approximately 130,000 users. According to Business Insider, the startup has drawn interest from investors including Rhian Horton at Stellation Capital, though the firm has not backed the company to date.
3. Tolan
Tolan is an AI companion platform designed to simulate conversation and connection. The startup is among those being closely watched by Larco, though she has not invested in the company, Business Insider says.
4. Swsh
Swsh is a Gen Z-focused photo-sharing platform designed for live events like Rolling Loud and Electric Daisy Carnival Vegas. According to its website, Swsh uses AI to help users surface photos and videos from shared albums and includes group chat features for real-time connection.
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5. Doji
Virtual try-on for fashion, Doji uses AI to generate avatars showing designer clothes and raised $14 million in a Thrive Capital-led seed round, according to Business Insider.
6. Bible Chat
An AI chatbot trained on the Bible, Bible Chat has 25 million users and $16 million in funding, Business Insider says. The company's funding reflects growing investor interest in spiritual AI platforms.
7. Series
This Yale-founded professional networking app employs AI agents to connect early-career users. According to Business Insider, it has strong early-stage capital behind it, fueling interest from investors drawn to AI-driven professional tools.
8. Beli
A real-world dining tracker, Beli gamifies restaurant visits with friend ranking in 30,000 cities and over 65 million ratings. The startup has raised $12 million in funding and highlights how AI and real-world interaction are fueling investor interest, Business Insider says.
9. Lore
A fandom-centric AI platform, Lore is still in beta but has caught VC attention for its focus on niche communities, according to Business Insider.
10. Status
Status is an AI-powered social platform that lets users interact with fictional characters designed to simulate social media experiences. The app was launched by a team that went through Y Combinator in 2022 and has attracted over 2.5 million users to date. Investors including FirstMark's Derek Chu and Patron's Amber Atherton named Status as a startup to watch, though neither firm has backed the company, Business Insider says.
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11. Spillt
Called "Goodreads for recipes," Spillt lets users clip and share recipes and has collected over 400,000 items. Business Insider says that by combining social discovery and cooking, Spillt shows how niche apps build truly engaged communities.
12. Gigi
Marketed as "the AI who knows everyone," Gigi connects users via personalized AI matchmaking. Gigi is co-founded by Clara Gold and backed by Intuition VC angel Hugo Amsellem, according to Business Insider.
Investor Signals Point to a New Era for Consumer Tech
Artificial intelligence continues to shape the investment landscape in consumer startups. Paul Warren, CEO of Margins, told Business Insider that there have been "no real crazy big raises… unless it is a really strong gen AI angle." That shift in funding strategy is driving the rise of startups that combine AI with specific, high-engagement use cases.
General platforms are losing ground to niche communities, Business Insider says. According to Warren, users are turning toward "much smaller things, cozier things, much more niche-oriented things."
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