Exclusive: Eigen raises a seed round from Benchmark to build the world's first 'mutual friend'.

The article focuses on Eigen, a stealth AI startup founded by 22-year-old Paul Scherer, which aims to create shared, synchronous experiences that connect people rather than isolate them, contrasting with existing AI companions that often increase loneliness. Backed by a $15 million seed round led by Benchmark and angel investors including Pinterest cofounder Ben Silbermann, Eigen seeks to build AI that enriches real-world relationships instead of replacing them. The company is assembling a unique "U-shaped" team of experienced tech veterans and young creative builders to develop this vision amid a growing global AI companion market projected to reach $552.49 billion by 2035. Eigen’s approach challenges the prevailing hyper-personalization trend in technology by focusing on collective social experiences. [Extracted from the article]