Key takeaways
- Messaging-native: meets users in iMessage, WhatsApp, Telegram — no app install
- $15M seed from General Catalyst at $100M valuation (Sept 2025)
- Privacy-first: 'Maximum Privacy' default, company can't read your chats
- Negotiated pricing: Poke sets its own price through conversation
FAQ
What is Poke?
A personal AI assistant that lives in your existing messaging apps (iMessage, WhatsApp, Telegram) to manage email, calendar, and workflows.
How much does Poke cost?
Poke uses negotiated pricing — the AI sets its own price through conversation with you.
Who competes with Poke?
Lindy (iMessage-first), Manus (autonomous execution), and OpenClaw (self-hosted).
Executive Summary
Poke is a personal AI assistant that lives entirely in your messaging apps — iMessage, WhatsApp, SMS, and Telegram. Rather than asking users to download another app, Poke meets people where they already communicate. Backed by $15M from General Catalyst at a $100M valuation, it's built by the team that won Elon Musk's Not-a-Boring Competition.
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Company | The Interaction Company of California |
| Founded | 2024 |
| Funding | $15M Seed (General Catalyst) |
| Valuation | $100M |
| Headquarters | Palo Alto, California |
| Founders | Marvin von Hagen (CEO), Felix Schlegel |
Product Overview
Poke's core thesis: users don't want another app — they want to text an AI the same way they text friends. The assistant handles email triage, calendar management, reminders, and web research through natural conversation in existing messaging threads.
Key Capabilities
| Capability | Description |
|---|---|
| Email Management | Gmail + Outlook inbox, calendar, and contact sync |
| Group Chats | Works in iMessage group chats, can set reminders for everyone |
| Financial Data | Stock prices, company financials, SEC filings, sentiment analysis |
| Integrations | Notion, GitHub, Linear + custom MCP integrations |
| Data Visualization | Creates tables and charts from descriptions or spreadsheet images |
| Automations | Scheduling, recurring reminders, TripIt import |
Messaging Channels
| Channel | Status |
|---|---|
| iMessage | ✅ Full support + group chats |
| Telegram | ✅ Added Feb 2026 |
| SMS | ✅ Supported |
| ⚠️ Temporarily banned (Meta antitrust) |
Technical Architecture
Poke runs entirely as a cloud service — users connect their messaging accounts and Poke responds within those threads. No local installation required.
Key Technical Details
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Deployment | Cloud-only (SaaS) |
| Email Providers | Gmail, Microsoft Outlook |
| Privacy Mode | "Maximum Privacy" — end-to-end, company can't read chats |
| Integrations | MCP support for custom integrations |
| Compliance | Security report at trust.delve.co/interaction |
Strengths
- Zero friction — Works in apps users already have. No downloads, no accounts to create, no new interfaces to learn.
- Privacy-first design — "Maximum Privacy" is the default. The company literally cannot see your conversations.
- Strong founders — Von Hagen and Schlegel have Tesla, Apple, Stanford, and MIT backgrounds; won Musk's Not-a-Boring Competition with TUM Boring (2021).
- Group chat intelligence — One of few assistants that works naturally in group conversations with reminders, scheduling, and context awareness.
- MCP extensibility — Power users can build custom integrations using Model Context Protocol.
Cautions
- WhatsApp ban — The Meta antitrust investigation has blocked Poke from WhatsApp worldwide (except Italy and Brazil). Major channel loss.
- Negotiated pricing — Novel but potentially confusing. Users don't know what they'll pay until the AI tells them.
- Early stage — Despite strong funding, the platform is still evolving rapidly.
- Limited regions — Not available everywhere; check supported-regions docs.
- No desktop/web app — Purely messaging-native. If you want a dashboard or web UI, look elsewhere.
Pricing & Licensing
Poke uses a unique negotiated pricing model — the AI sets its own price through conversation with the user.
"Can I get a discount on the price set by Poke? Keep chatting until you agree on a price!" — Poke FAQ
No public tier information. No free tier mentioned.
Licensing model: SaaS subscription
Competitive Positioning
Direct Competitors
| Competitor | Differentiation |
|---|---|
| Lindy | Poke is WhatsApp/Telegram-native; Lindy is iMessage-first |
| Manus | Poke is conversational; Manus is autonomous execution |
| OpenClaw | Poke is managed; OpenClaw is self-hosted |
When to Choose Poke Over Alternatives
- Choose Poke when: You want a messaging-native assistant without installing anything
- Choose Lindy when: You need enterprise compliance (SOC 2, HIPAA)
- Choose OpenClaw when: You want full control and self-hosting
Ideal Customer Profile
Best fit:
- Professionals who live in their messaging apps
- Users who want AI without another app/interface
- Privacy-conscious users who value "Maximum Privacy" defaults
- Silicon Valley / tech-forward early adopters
Poor fit:
- Users who need WhatsApp (currently banned)
- Enterprise buyers requiring SOC 2/HIPAA compliance
- Users who want web dashboards or desktop apps
- Those uncomfortable with negotiated/dynamic pricing
Viability Assessment
| Factor | Assessment |
|---|---|
| Financial Health | Strong ($15M seed, $100M valuation) |
| Market Position | Challenger |
| Innovation Pace | Rapid (bi-weekly releases) |
| Community/Ecosystem | Growing (6K+ users at launch) |
| Long-term Outlook | Positive if WhatsApp ban resolves |
The General Catalyst backing and $100M valuation provide runway. The WhatsApp ban is the major near-term risk — if Meta antitrust drags on, Poke loses its biggest potential channel.
Bottom Line
Poke is the "messaging-native" bet on personal AI. While competitors build apps or require terminal commands, Poke meets users where they already are — in iMessage, SMS, and Telegram threads. The $15M seed and strong founding team position it well, but the WhatsApp ban creates real uncertainty.
Recommended for: Professionals who prefer texting over apps, privacy-conscious users, early adopters comfortable with novel pricing
Not recommended for: WhatsApp-dependent users, enterprises needing compliance certifications, those who want dashboard UIs
Outlook: If the WhatsApp ban lifts and the team executes on their vision, Poke could become the default "text your AI" option. The messaging-first thesis is compelling.
Research by Ry Walker Research • methodology