Nirva Secures 33 Million Dollars for Pendant That Listens Only to Wearer

Artificial intelligence startup Nirva has raised a total of thirty-three million dollars in funding to launch its new wearable pendant.

Device Details

The startup announced a twenty-five million dollar pre-Series A round, which adds to eight million dollars raised earlier in the year from investors like Lightspeed and South Park Commons. Founded in 2025 by former Meta Reality Labs employees Wei Lyu and Jason Chen alongside fashion and jewelry brand founder Hanying Hu, Nirva is building a jewelry-like device that weighs just eight grams and can also be worn as a bracelet. Its battery lasts up to three days on a single charge. The device will cost two hundred forty-nine dollars and come in silver, brushed silver, black, and gold. Orders start in November, with shipping planned by the end of the year.

Privacy And Features

Unlike other smart devices, the Nirva pendant is designed to listen only to the wearer. Users record voice snippets during onboarding so the device can filter out other people's voices. The companion app analyzes speech to provide personal insights on emotions, communication styles, and daily notes, while the company states it does not keep audio data or transcripts after processing. Nirva faces competition in the AI wearables space from other companies such as Taya, Friend, and Bee.

Context

Wearable ambient artificial intelligence devices are drawing significant industry attention as major technology companies and startups develop hardware that passively records or listens to everyday user activities. Privacy concerns remain a central challenge for these products due to the continuous presence of microphones and cameras in public and private spaces. Startups in this sector are increasingly exploring specialized software filtering and on-device processing methods to address consumer data protection worries.