Conversational AI and smart eyewear startup Sesame, founded by former Oculus leaders Brendan Iribe and Ankit Kumar, has raised $250 million in Series B funding. The company announced that it is opening its beta program to select testers, offering early access to its AI-powered voice technology through an iOS app. Investors in the round include Sequoia, Spark, and other undisclosed backers. The startup aims to integrate its natural-sounding personal AI agent into lightweight eyewear designed for everyday use, allowing users to interact with their AI companion through voice commands.
According to Sequoia, “Sesame’s conversational layer felt different. It doesn’t just translate LLM output into audio - it generates speech directly, capturing the rhythm, emotion, and expressiveness of real dialogue.” The company’s founding team also includes Oculus Co-Founder Nate Mitchell, former Fitbit Executive Hans Hartmann, and former Meta Engineering Director Ryan Brown. Sesame’s upcoming smart glasses are expected to combine style with advanced AI capabilities, though no launch timeline has been disclosed.
