CoinMarketCap (CMC) Labs Incubation Program Welcomes Kindred AI, Redefining the Future of Personal AI

Kindred AI joins CMC's incubation program, aiming to bring emotionally intelligent AI companions to life.

CoinMarketCap (CMC) has partnered with Kindred AI, a startup developing emotionally intelligent AI companions, to join its incubation program.

The partnership will see CMC Labs, the crypto data platform’s startup incubation arm, support Kindred as it advances its agentic AI protocol and brings its IP-powered companions to market.

CMC's Partner strategy focuses on identifying and supporting standout projects that bring unique value to the crypto and Web3 space. Through the CMC incubation program, it offers startups like Kindred access to market expertise, provides opportunities for growth, and offers technical guidance as the startups prepare to launch.

With this partnership, CMC further reinforces its position as a launchpad for innovative projects at the cutting edge of AI development and blockchain integration.

Kindred, which has over 20 licensed partnerships with brands like Axie, Minto, and Teletubbies, is positioning itself at the intersection of culture and artificial intelligence.

The startup is developing the world's first agentic AI protocol powered by licensed intellectual property (IP), enabling users to interact with AI agents based on iconic characters, creating emotionally responsive digital companions.

“Kindred is building something original, using familiar characters to create AI companions offers a compelling use case for meaningful user adoption,” said Grant (Josh) Rush, CEO of CoinMarketCap.

“We’re excited to have Kindred join the CMC Labs program. As part of the incubation program, Kindred will receive go-to-market guidance and support for expanding its ecosystem. We’ll also be making strategic introductions as Kindred prepares to launch the first wave of its AI agents.”

According to Kindred CEO Max, the aim is to reshape digital interaction, making AI more personal, emotional, and alive.

“We’re thrilled to be joining CMC Labs and look forward to leveraging their expertise to amplify our impact,” said Max.

“Kindred’s mission is to create AI that feels deeply human. With CoinMarketCap’s support, we’re accelerating our journey to bring this vision to life.”

At the core of this initiative is Kindred's native token, $KIN, which will power user engagement across the ecosystem, ranging from NFT ownership and staking to utility features and IP-driven interactions.

The token rollout will align with the launch of the platform's first AI agents, built in collaboration with globally recognized IP partners.

$KIN is designed to be more than a standard crypto token; it will enable interactive ownership and utility within the agentic AI platform.

Users will be able to purchase, stake, and utilize NFTs that represent their AI companions, each meticulously crafted using licensed IP. This model effectively blends blockchain with AI to introduce novel forms of user interaction and engagement, setting the foundation for broader adoption across digital entertainment, education, and virtual social experiences.