Tolan (Portola)

Tolan is an iOS app from Portola that offers character-driven AI alien companions designed for friendship rather than romance. Each Tolan is a colorful character from 'Planet Portola' built to be a supportive, non-romantic friend.

Portola was founded in 2023 by CEO Quinten Farmer (previously co-founder of fintech Even, acquired by Walmart for $300M), CTO Evan Goldschmidt (ex-Google), and President Ajay Mehta. The Tolan app launched in February 2025.

Portola, the company behind Tolan, has raised approximately $30M total. This includes a $10M seed led by Lachy Groom and a $20M Series A led by Khosla Ventures (Keith Rabois) announced July 2025.

Users adopt an alien Tolan character on iOS and chat with it over time. The companion has a persistent personality and visual identity, focused on emotional support, grounding, and confidence rather than romantic or sexual interaction.

Unlike Replika and many Character.AI personas, Tolan deliberately avoids romantic or sexual roleplay. It positions itself as a playful, platonic friend with a distinctive character design rather than a customizable AI partner.

Tolan's explicitly non-romantic design reduces some of the parasocial risks associated with AI girlfriend or boyfriend apps. As with any AI companion, users should review the company's privacy policy regarding stored conversation data.

Tolan is free to download with a paid subscription tier. With more than 100,000 paying subscribers and reported scaling from $4M to $12M ARR in four months, the subscription drives the bulk of revenue.

Tolan is best for users who want a playful, supportive AI friend without romantic overtones — people seeking emotional support, fun characters, or company without the dynamics of an AI partner.