Tombot
Tombot is a Santa Clarita, California company founded in October 2017 by Tom Stevens, who is CEO and creator of Jennie, a hyper-realistic robotic puppy for people with dementia and other health challenges. Stevens was inspired after removing his mother's real dog for safety reasons when dementia made caring for it unsafe, which deepened her loneliness. Jennie was developed with Jim Henson's Creature Shop, modelled on an eight to 10 week old puppy, and is fully autonomous, responding to voice, touch and movement with a detectable heartbeat, tail wags and puppy sounds recorded from real dogs. She is built for lap-based interaction rather than roaming, with all-day battery life and easy cleaning. Tombot is pursuing recognition as a medical device, has raised more than US$13 million, priced Jennie at about US$1,500, and reports a waitlist of more than 23,000 pre-order customers with first shipments planned for autumn 2026.
💡Notable Achievement: Tombot reports more than 23,000 pre-order customers, with first Jennie shipments planned for autumn 2026.
What Does Tombot Do?
Tombot makes Jennie, a hyper-realistic robotic puppy for people with dementia, built with Jim Henson's Creature Shop and aiming for FDA recognition.
“A robot puppy for comfort and care.”
Realistic Puppy
Heartbeat, tail wags and real puppy sounds.
Medical Aim
Pursuing FDA recognition.
Big Waitlist
More than 23,000 pre-orders.
What Can Tombot Robots Actually Do?
Cross-portfolio operational capabilities, manipulation tasks, and environmental competencies
Companion robot for dementia care.
Therapeutic Companionship
Jennie responds to voice, touch and movement.
Tombot Robots
Showing 1 of 1 total model
Jennie
Manufactured by Tombot
Jennie is a companion/social robot designed as a hyper-realistic robotic Labrador retriever puppy to provide emotional support for seniors with dementia, mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer's, PTSD, depression, loneliness, anxiety, and hospital patients. Inspired by Tombot CEO Tom Stevens' mother's experience, Jennie fosters attachment without pet care burdens, using touch sensors for pet responses, AI-generated barks, real puppy sound recordings from 8-10 week-old Labs, voice command recognition (e.g., "speak," "sit"), servo motors for nuzzling and movements like blinking, and a smartphone app for naming, configuration, and monitoring engagement. Aimed at FDA registration as a medical device for homes, hospitals, and care facilities, she reduces behavioral symptoms like aggression and hallucinations via lifelike, unpredictable interactions, with software updates enhancing behaviors
Tombot Timeline & Milestones
Evolutionary history, landmark prototypes, major acquisitions, and commercial roadmap
Tombot founded in Santa Clarita
Tom Stevens founds Tombot to create a robotic puppy for people with dementia and autism, working with Jim Henson's Creature Shop.
Source: signalscv.com
Jennie shown at CES 2025
Tombot shows Jennie, a hyper-realistic robotic puppy for cognitive health, at CES 2025.
Source: dezeen.com
Enhanced Jennie shown at CES 2026
Tombot returns to CES 2026 with an enhanced Jennie and real-world demos, with shipments planned for later in 2026.
Source: einpresswire.com
Tombot Competitors by Category
Direct industry rivals grouped by specific robotics domain
What Makes Tombot Different?
Editorial AnalysisOrigin of Bots objective strategic assessment, engineering moats, and commercial hurdles
Key Strengths & Moats
- ✓Strong demand and Henson realism.
- ✓US$13 million raised.
Core Strategic Focus
Shipping Jennie in 2026.
Road Ahead & Challenges
- •Production and regulatory delays.
- •Long time to market.
Tombot vs Key Competitors
Strategic capability matrix across platform categories, commercial readiness, and target markets
Category / Focus
- Jennie
- Robotic puppy
- Casio Moflin
- AI pet robot
- Groove X Lovot
- Emotional pet robot
- Yukai Qoobo
- Tail cushion robot
Primary Use
- Jennie
- Emotional support for dementia
- Casio Moflin
- Emotional companionship, loneliness alleviation
- Groove X Lovot
- Home companionship
- Yukai Qoobo
- Stress relief for office workers
Weight
- Jennie
- 2.3 kg
- Casio Moflin
- 0.26 kg
- Groove X Lovot
- Approximately 4.3 kg (9.4 lbs)
- Yukai Qoobo
- 1.0 kg (2.2 lbs)
Release Year
- Jennie
- 2026
- Casio Moflin
- 2020
- Groove X Lovot
- 2018
- Yukai Qoobo
- 2018
| Strategic Dimension | Jennie | Casio Moflin | Groove X Lovot | Yukai Qoobo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Category / Focus | Robotic puppy | AI pet robot | Emotional pet robot | Tail cushion robot |
| Primary Use | Emotional support for dementia | Emotional companionship, loneliness alleviation | Home companionship | Stress relief for office workers |
| Weight | 2.3 kg | 0.26 kg | Approximately 4.3 kg (9.4 lbs) | 1.0 kg (2.2 lbs) |
| Release Year | 2026 | 2020 | 2018 | 2018 |
Corporate Ecosystem & Ownership Structure
Parent company relationships, historical acquisitions, and global operating facilities
Global Facilities & Operating Hubs
Tombot Headquarters
HQSanta Clarita, United States
Articles & Industry News
Showing 1 recent article and news updates about Tombot
Frequently Asked Questions
8 AnswersVerified answers, company specifications, and deployment details about Tombot
What is Tombot?
Tombot is a Santa Clarita company, founded in 2017, that makes Jennie, a robotic puppy designed for people with dementia, autism and other health challenges.
What is Jennie?
Jennie is a hyper-realistic robotic puppy developed with Jim Henson's Creature Shop, with a detectable heartbeat, tail wags and real puppy sounds, built for lap-based interaction.
Who founded Tombot?
Tom Stevens is CEO and creator of Tombot. He was inspired after having to remove his dementia-affected mother's real dog for safety reasons.
How much does Jennie cost?
Jennie is priced at about US$1,500, a price point residents in care facilities called reasonable for such advanced technology, according to news coverage.
When will Jennie ship?
Tombot said it was finalising production, with first shipments planned for autumn 2026 to a waitlist of more than 23,000 pre-order customers.
How much has Tombot raised?
Tombot has raised more than US$13 million to date, including a US$7 million round and crowdfunding, according to reports. Tombot is a Santa Clarita, California company founded in October 2017 by Tom Stevens, who is CEO and creator of Jennie, a hyper-realistic robotic puppy for people with dementia and other health challenges.
Does Jennie roam around?
No. Jennie is designed for lap-based interaction with no floor roaming, to avoid tripping hazards, with all-day battery life and easy cleaning.
Is Jennie a medical device?
Tombot aims to create the first affordable, FDA-regulated medical-grade robotic animal and is pursuing FDA recognition for Jennie as a medical device.
Verified Data & Editorial Assurance
Compiled from verified corporate filings, official Tombot datasheets, and robotics engineering registries. Information has been verified against official manufacturer documentation. For commercial procurement or proprietary integrations, contact the manufacturer directly.