Sesame Secures $250M Series B Funding for AI Voice Tech
Sesame Secures $250M Series B Funding Amid AI Voice Breakthrough
Dialogic AI startup Sesame announced today the successful completion of a $250 million Series B funding round, with Sequoia Capital as a lead investor. Concurrently, the company opened access to an early Beta version of its iOS app for select testers.
Founded by Brendan Iribe (former Oculus CEO) and Ankit Kumar (ex-CTO of Ubiquity6), Sesame is developing a personal AI agent capable of natural human-like voice interactions. The long-term vision involves embedding this technology into lightweight, wearable smart glasses for全天候 use.
Market Validation Through Voice Demos
Sesame first demonstrated its technology in February with two prototype voices—"Maya" and "Miles." According to Sequoia Capital's blog:
- Over 1 million users engaged within weeks
- Generated 5+ million conversation minutes
The investor noted: ">This isn't just text-to-speech—it captures conversational rhythm and emotion authentically.Hardware takes time<")
Beta App Launch & Investor Landscape
The iOS Beta app now offers:
- Experimental search functionality
- Text-based interaction
- Cognitive processing features
Series B backers include:
- Sequoia Capital (lead)
- Spark Capital
- Undisclosed partners Testers must adhere to strict confidentiality agreements.
Key Points:
- $250M funding validates conversational AI market potential
- Voice tech demonstrates unprecedented emotional resonance
- Meta/Oculus veterans ensure hardware credibility
- Fashion-focused wearables could disrupt consumer AR space