Haruto

A dignified companion against loneliness in old age delivering empathetic care assistance powered by AI at scale.
 

The Client

Haruto is a startup building an empathic AI, embodied in a warm, wooden sculpture — designed for acceptance by technology‑averse older adults.

Initial situation

Loneliness and overwhelm in older age are increasing worldwide (up to 1.65 billion people by 2050), while family caregivers and care services are overburdened.

Existing solutions in elder care often felt too "technical" or "surveillance-like". There were many possibilities, but no product that built a genuine emotional bridge to older adults while reducing complexity for their families

Our contribution

We shaped Haruto from vision to product.

Product & UX Design: Human‑centred design of the wooden Haruto character and simple, senior‑friendly interactions.

Strategy: Premium business model (hardware + subscription) and phased go‑to‑market.

Innovation: Development of empathic AI aligned with strict privacy and data‑protection requirements.

Result

A product that makes progress feel human. Today, Haruto is more than a technical solution – it's a system design that delivers measurable results: Higher acceptance among the target audience through radical reduction of complexity, and a design that emphasizes dignity over deficits. We've created a robust foundation for a scalable future in which AI doesn't replace people, but expands the space for genuine care.