Sesame, a pioneering startup in conversational artificial intelligence (AI) and smart eyewear, has successfully secured $250 million in a Series B funding round. This substantial investment marks a significant milestone as the company unveils its beta program to a select group of testers.
Leadership and Vision
At the helm of Sesame are Brendan Iribe, co-founder and former CEO of Oculus, and Ankit Kumar, previously the Chief Technology Officer at augmented reality (AR) startup Ubiquity6. Their collective expertise is driving the development of a personal AI assistant that communicates with users through a natural, human-like voice. This AI companion is designed to be seamlessly integrated into lightweight, voice-activated smart glasses intended for all-day wear.
Technological Milestones
Emerging from stealth mode in February, Sesame introduced two AI voice prototypes named Maya and Miles. These demonstrations quickly gained traction, engaging over a million users who collectively generated more than five million minutes of conversation within the initial weeks. Investor Sequoia highlighted the uniqueness of Sesame’s conversational layer, noting its ability to generate speech that captures the rhythm, emotion, and expressiveness of real dialogue.
Early evaluations have been positive, with The Verge describing the technology as genuinely fun and natural-sounding.
Product Development
Sesame’s forthcoming smart glasses are set to deliver high-quality audio and provide users with an AI companion capable of observing and interacting with the world alongside them. Emphasizing aesthetics, the company aims to produce eyewear that is both fashionable and functional, appealing to consumers even without the embedded AI features. While a specific release date has not been announced, the company acknowledges that hardware development requires time.
Experienced Team
The strength of Sesame’s team is noteworthy, comprising industry veterans such as Nate Mitchell, Oculus co-founder and Chief Product Officer; Hans Hartmann, former Oculus COO and Fitbit executive, now serving as COO; Ryan Brown, former Oculus engineering manager and Reality Labs director; and Angela Gayles, a seasoned executive from Facebook and Meta.
Beta Program Launch
In conjunction with the funding announcement, Brendan Iribe revealed the initiation of an early beta for the Sesame iOS application. This app will enable testers to experience the AI technology firsthand, offering functionalities such as search, text, and cognitive processing. Participants are requested to maintain confidentiality regarding their experiences, limiting discussions to official beta test forums.
Investment Details
The Series B funding round saw contributions from Sequoia, Spark, and other undisclosed investors, underscoring the confidence in Sesame’s innovative approach to AI and wearable technology.
