A fresh wave of funding has just brought new life to Rosebud, a journaling app that leans into AI not as a replacement for human connection but as a dynamic guide for those eager to know themselves better.
The company announced a six-million-dollar seed round, setting its sights on growing the small team and enhancing both its tech and reach.
Co-founded in 2023 by Chrys Bader, previously best known for Secret, and Sean Dadashi, a cognitive science graduate from Berkeley, Rosebud draws on deeply personal inspiration. The two met in a men’s group, reflecting together on therapy and coaching, which sparked the idea for a journaling app that could replicate the nuanced support traditionally found in mentorship.
Since their launch, people have poured five hundred million words into Rosebud and racked up over thirty million minutes on the app.
Rather than simply storing journal entries, Rosebud puts its AI to work, sifting through the text in search of patterns, offering insights and personalized questions, and nudging users toward meaningful goals.
Some users crave reassurance and gentle encouragement, while others want a straight shooter who will push them out of their comfort zone. Rosebud is able to flex its tone depending on what each person needs in a given moment, offering a level of customization that simply did not exist in digital health before.
Rosebud Eyes Widened Access to Mental Wellness
This next chapter will see the team increase not only through new hires in engineering and product, but also by ramping up efforts to introduce Rosebud to more people through expanded marketing initiatives. The team has ambitions to deepen Rosebud’s memory technology so users can revisit their own personal journeys in fresh ways.
Importantly, Rosebud is actively searching for partnerships with schools, workplaces, and clinics to place its AI mentor within easier reach, and to chip away at the barriers so many face in accessing personal growth tools.
Bessemer Venture Partners led the funding, joined by impressive backers such as 776, Initialized Capital, and Tim Ferriss. Security is central to the company’s strategy, with all journal data encrypted and never shared outside the app or used to train unrelated AI.
Looking beyond the basics, the founders dream of Rosebud as a mentor who adapts as people grow and shift. That could mean offering tailored journaling prompts for soon-to-be parents or anyone navigating a major change.
The app’s essential features are free, but a monthly subscription unlocks a host of extra options like persistent memory and voice interactions, on web or mobile alike.
