Ambient AI is experiencing a surge in popularity. Amazon has launched a new wristwear device that is paired with Bee; a former executive from Plaud founded a startup called Ambi, planning to launch ambient applications and develop their own hardware; Apple also unveiled Voice Intelligence features at their iPhone press conference in September. Now, a company named Nirva is betting on a jewelry-style pendant that is capable of only listening to the wearer's voice.
The startup announced today that it has completed a new round of financing of $25 million. Adding to the $8 million in funding it received earlier this year from investors such as Lightspeed and South Park Commons, its total financing amount now reaches $33 million.
Nirva was established in 2025, with founders including two former employees of Meta Reality Labs, Wei Lyu and Jason Chen, as well as Hanying Hu who founded a fashion and jewelry brand.
The company's first device is a pendant that can also be worn as a bracelet. The device weighs only about 8 grams, making it convenient to wear throughout the day, and with a single charge, it can last up to three days.
In the longer term, Nirva plans to launch more devices.
In an interview with TechCrunch, Nirva's Chief Executive Officer, Lyu, stated that the company aims to create a wearable device that not only integrates into fashion but also provides value to users.
“This is a piece of jewelry that focuses solely on listening to you speak. We are not like voice recorders, nor are we meeting note-taking tools. A key difference between us and Taya, Vocci, or Sandbar Ring is that we always listen passively to your own voice. Therefore, it remains turned on at all times. It continuously models the user, as well as your thoughts,” says Lyu.
For ambient devices, privacy is a major concern, as people may not like to be recorded all the time. In addition, devices like Ray - Ban Meta also cause those around them to worry that smart glasses might record them as well.
Nirva bypasses this issue by requiring users to record their own voice segments during the onboarding process and use those to build a model. During use, the device will filter out conversations or data from other people around. This means that it will only record the voice of the wearer themselves.
In addition, Nirva does not retain any audio data or transcribed text after processing conversations by default.
Nirva positions itself as a personal insight company, rather than a productivity startup. However, its app displays reminders, to-do lists, and actionable steps to take. Lyu indicates that with this app, the startup aims to help users be more present for others in their lives.
“I believe that there is no one-size-fits-all method to help everyone solve problems. We are working on creating a tool to help people improve their self-understanding, self-compassion, and self-awareness,” said Lyu.
Wyu gave an example: Once she forgot to thank her mother for something, and later the app sent her a reminder about that matter.
Nirva will begin accepting device reservations in November and plans to ship to early users by the end of the year. This device, priced at $249, will be available in four color options: silver, brushed silver, black, and gold.
This startup faces competition in the AI wearable sector. Taya, founded by former Apple employees, is also developing smart jewelry; in addition, startups such as Friend and Bee are also attempting to create companion devices.
