In a bold stride toward redefining human–AI interaction, Sesame, a conversational AI startup founded by former Oculus executives, has raised $250 million in its Series B funding round and officially launched its beta testing program. The announcement was made on Tuesday by co-founders Brendan Iribe, former Oculus CEO, and Ankit Kumar, former CTO of augmented reality company Ubiquity6.

The company is building what it calls a personal AI agent — an intelligent companion capable of engaging users in lifelike conversations through natural-sounding voice interactions. This AI agent will be seamlessly integrated into lightweight, stylish smart glasses, allowing users to communicate and interact with the technology throughout their daily routines.

Sesame first made its public debut in February, unveiling two demo voices named “Maya” and “Miles.” Within weeks, the demos attracted over one million users, generating more than five million minutes of dialogue, according to Sequoia Capital, one of the lead investors in the latest funding round.

“Sesame’s conversational experience felt remarkably distinct,” Sequoia stated in a post announcing its investment. “Unlike typical LLM-based systems that convert text to speech, Sesame’s technology generates audio directly, capturing the rhythm, emotion, and authenticity of human dialogue.”

Early testers have described the experience as “genuinely fun” and “remarkably natural-sounding,” with tech publication The Verge noting the system’s fluidity and realism.

Beyond its software, Sesame is focusing heavily on design and wearability. Sequoia highlighted that the forthcoming smart glasses will be fashion-forward, crafted to appeal to users even without the AI features. However, no official release date has been disclosed, as the company acknowledges that “hardware takes time.”

The startup’s leadership boasts an impressive roster of tech veterans, including Nate Mitchell, Oculus co-founder and current Chief Product Officer; Hans Hartmann, former Fitbit COO; Ryan Brown, ex-engineering director at Meta’s Reality Labs; and Angela Gayles, a long-serving Meta executive.
In addition to the hardware project, Iribe announced via X (formerly Twitter) that Sesame has opened early access to its iOS beta app, offering participants an opportunity to experience the AI firsthand. The app reportedly enables users to “search, text, and think,” simulating the capabilities of the future AI glasses.

Beta testers have been requested to maintain confidentiality regarding their experience, refraining from sharing specific feedback or details outside the official forums.

The $250 million Series B round was backed by Sequoia, Spark Capital, and several undisclosed investors, further cementing confidence in Sesame’s ambitious vision to merge conversational AI with everyday human experience.

Source: Techcrunch