Sterling Labs, Inc

What do they actually do

Sterling Labs (formerly FocusBuddy) runs a web app at focusbuddy.ai that pairs you with an AI “coworking” co‑pilot over voice and text. You start a session, say what you plan to do, and the AI turns that into a live to‑do list and schedule, checks in periodically, nudges next steps, and helps you recover when you drift or get stuck. At the end of sessions or each week it generates behavioral insights about patterns like distractions and time‑estimation errors (focusbuddy.ai, YC profile).

Early adoption is from individuals, with an initial focus on people with ADHD or executive‑function challenges who need real‑time prompts and accountability. The company highlights multi‑hour daily use and user testimonials describing help with starting tasks and resisting distractions (YC profile, Product Hunt). The core product is currently free, with a more personalized paid tier available to a limited set of users (focusbuddy.ai).

Who are their target customer(s)

• Adults with ADHD or executive‑function difficulties: Struggle to start tasks and stay on them without external prompts; need live accountability and gentle course‑corrections rather than relying on willpower.
• Solo remote knowledge workers and freelancers: Work long stretches alone and lose momentum or structure; want a lightweight way to keep sessions on track and recover quickly after interruptions.
• Students and writers: Stall at the “how do I start” step and have trouble breaking work into immediate next actions; need simple, voice‑first planning and periodic check‑ins.
• Creators and ICs (developers, designers): Get pulled into distractions or hyper‑focus and then lose short‑term context; need help setting mini‑goals and resuming work smoothly after context switches.
• People building better work habits: Lack continuous feedback on patterns like burnout and poor time estimates; want ongoing nudges and measurable insights to improve over weeks.

How would they acquire their first 10, 50, and 100 customers

• First 10: Direct outreach to warm networks (YC contacts, signups, Product Hunt commenters) and ADHD/student communities; provide hands‑on onboarding and collect structured feedback, session recordings, and permission for short case studies (focusbuddy.ai, YC profile, Product Hunt).
• First 50: Expand to targeted online groups (r/ADHD, study/remote‑work Slack/Discords) with a referral incentive; run small‑group onboarding webinars and follow‑up coaching calls to drive the first multi‑hour session and turn satisfied users into public testimonials (focusbuddy.ai, Product Hunt).
• First 100: Pilot with ADHD coaches, university disability services, and productivity creators; offer limited accounts in exchange for feedback and co‑created case studies, then amplify the best‑performing messages with small creator ads and use pilot stories as proof for additional partnerships (focusbuddy.ai, YC profile).

What is the rough total addressable market

Top-down context:

Sterling Labs sits between consumer productivity tools and digital mental‑health/coaching. These markets together represent a global revenue pool in the low tens of billions annually today (productivity apps ≈$30B in 2024; mental‑health apps in the single‑ to low‑double‑digit billions) (Business of Apps, Grand View Research).

Bottom-up calculation:

Beachhead SAM: 15.5M U.S. adults report a current ADHD diagnosis. If 3% adopt a paid plan at $12–15/month, that implies roughly $56–84M/year in the U.S., with upside from international markets and adjacent segments like students and freelancers (CDC MMWR).

Assumptions:

• Adoption among diagnosed U.S. ADHD adults in the 2–4% range for a paid plan
• ARPU of $12–15 per month for a personalized tier
• Diagnosis‑based sizing understates broader executive‑function needs; international diagnosis rates vary

Who are some of their notable competitors

• Focusmate: Virtual coworking with human accountability partners; widely used for body‑doubling and structured focus sessions—an alternative to AI‑led sessions.
• FLOwn: Deep‑work platform offering live focus sessions and body‑doubling; targets professionals seeking external structure to stay on task.
• Centered: Focus app with coaching features, timers, and routines that encourage flow states; overlaps on guided focus and habit formation.
• RescueTime: Time‑tracking and focus software with automated session prompts; adjacent on measuring behavior and nudging distraction reduction.
• Caveday: Facilitated, live deep‑work sessions for individuals and teams; a cohort‑based alternative to solo AI coworking and accountability.