Miko: a children’s robot from India sold in over 140 countries

A robot friend from three IIT Bombay graduates

Miko is a talking robot for children made by Emotix of Mumbai, India. Sneh Vaswani, Prashant Iyengar and Chintan Raikar, all IIT Bombay graduates, founded the company in 2015. It ran more than 22 pilots over about two and a half years before releasing the first Miko. Miko 3, the current model, is a small wheeled robot with a screen face. It stands about 8.7 inches tall, weighs about 2 lb and is aimed at children aged 5 to 10. It talks with children and offers games and learning content.

From Indian stores to Costco in North America

The first Miko arrived in 2016–2017 (sources differ) and sold in India through Croma and Hamleys stores. Miko 2 cost Rs 24,999. Sales spread to the Middle East in 2019 and then to the US, and Miko 3 came out in 2021 with a subscription service. The company raised money several times from 2018. In August 2025 its board approved raising $151 million from the AMDG-PAX Foundation, and in November iHeartMedia invested $10 million. By then Miko had also launched at Costco in North America. The company’s About page puts sales at over 700,000 units. In October 2026 the US official store listed Miko 3 at $299 but showed both colours as sold out.

Hard to recommend without the subscription

In 2025 The Gadgeteer reviewer Matt Gregersen called Miko 3 “a small tablet dressed as a robot.” He wrote: “I would have a hard time recommending the Miko 3: The AI-Powered Learning Robot to most families without the Max subscription.” He also found the AI chat features not compelling enough for children to buy into the illusion. CEO Sneh Vaswani called the iHeartMedia deal a pivotal moment in making AI companions part of everyday family life.

Content subscriptions on a robot body

Miko is a rare children’s social robot that sold in large numbers. Yet the value the review pointed to sat in the subscription content more than in the robot. Like Moxie, which lost its features when its servers went dark, a children’s talking robot works only as long as its company keeps running.

When the subscription ends, does the robot remain a friend to the child?

What we haven’t confirmed

• The exact launch years of the first Miko and Miko 2 (sources differ by a year)
• Whether the 700,000 sales figure has been independently confirmed (company figure)
• Whether Miko 3 being sold out in October 2026 is temporary or the end of sales
• Independent research on effects on children’s learning or wellbeing