---
title: 'Portland AI startup Shelpful — founded by Amazon, Microsoft, and Y Combinator alums — lands $3M'
date: '2023-12-15T09:55:11-08:00'
type: post
word_count: 252
char_count: 1800
tokens: 328
categories:
  - Portland
---

# Portland AI startup Shelpful — founded by Amazon, Microsoft, and Y Combinator alums — lands $3M

Portland AI startup [Shelpful](https://shelpful.com/) is ready to start 2024 off on the right foot. All thanks to a [$3 million investment from Sam Altman’s Apollo projects](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/shelpful-raises-3-million-from-sam-altmans-apollo-projects-combining-ai-and-human-support-to-help-people-build-lasting-habits-and-tackle-daily-tasks-302016238.html). What’s the company building that attracted this investment?

> We find these amazing listeners, cheerleaders, pals and nudgers and are uniting them into a giant shelpforce. All centered around a united cause – to help YOU.
> 
> This is a new thing. It’s not therapy, it’s not a life coach, it’s not even necessarily a 2-way friendship. But, it helps. It really does, doesn’t it? We hope we can “shelp” 😉 millions of people one day. For now, we’re so happy for the chance to help you.

And the pedigree of the founding team didn’t likely hurt, either. [According to the Portland Business Journal](https://www.bizjournals.com/portland/news/2023/12/15/portland-sam-altman-openai-apollo-projects.html):

> Shelpful was founded by \[Sharon\] Pope, a former marketing adviser for Y-Combinator companies, Lydia Swift, a former PR executive for Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) and Chris Morse, who worked on Amazon’s Alexa team, according to its news release.

[GeekWire has coverage](https://www.geekwire.com/2023/sam-altmans-venture-fund-invests-3m-in-startup-using-humans-and-ai-to-keep-people-on-task/), as well.

Adding this one to the growing “Portland AI startups to keep an eye on” list. Which is like a Nice list for the Portland startup community.

For more information or to sign up, visit [Shelpful](https://shelpful.com/).