Legato Raises $12M for AI Hearing Glasses

The startup Legato announces $12 million to finalize hearing assistance glasses integrated into frames. The company aims for a launch this year through optical channels, with a price presented as "a fraction" of traditional hearing aids and potential eligibility for vision insurance. The frames, designed to be worn for up to 16 hours according to their creators, utilize AI voice separation.

Distribution via optics and "a fraction" pricing, according to the company

Legato plans to market its frames through select eye care providers nationwide during a launch announced later this year. The company claims a pricing position "at a fraction" of the cost of traditional hearing aids. It further indicates that purchasing through an optical clinic could make the product eligible for vision insurance. The designers present a daily usage autonomy of up to 16 hours of wear.

AI voice separation and discreet open-ear design

The system employs an AI-powered approach to distinguish background noise from voices, with targeted amplification on the latter. The stated goal is to make conversations clearer while avoiding the cognitive fatigue sometimes associated with traditional hearing aids. Although the design is open-ear, Legato states that the sound is not audible to those around the user, thanks to a dual speaker that directs the signal toward the user and eliminates leaks, with a reported reduction of 99% just a few centimeters from the ear. Key technologies highlighted include a patented integration within the temples, an exclusive acoustic system, a signal processing chip, and a mechanical architecture, resulting in a format that company officials describe as discreet, with no physical controls to manipulate and usable in all circumstances. In contrast, traditional devices generally rely on directional microphones that are effective in quiet environments but less so in noisy places.

Target: mild to moderate hearing loss and barriers to treatment

Legato primarily targets individuals with mild to moderate hearing loss, a segment the company describes as the largest in the market. The need is massive: hearing loss affects approximately 50 million adults in the United States, but only about 20% of those diagnosed seek treatment. The company claims to want to remove barriers related to cost, comfort, and the stigma surrounding traditional devices, aiming to reduce the non-use rate. Mehul Trivedi sets a goal: to make hearing as commonplace as vision, and emphasizes his belief that better hearing supports connection to the world and comes with health benefits. He finally presents the product as an aid for both hearing and vision.

$12M raised, profiles from Bose and EssilorLuxottica

Legato has raised $12 million from Neotribe Ventures, Listen, and Village Global, funds that the company says have primarily been directed toward product development and marketing. The company was co-founded by Mehul Trivedi and Steve Romine, who both previously worked at Bose, where Trivedi led the Bose Frames and Romine headed the hearing aid division. Trivedi then joined EssilorLuxottica to lead smart glasses projects, including a contribution to the Meta Ray-Bans, while Romine became COO of Audicus. After identifying a technology he believed could merge audio assistance and glasses, Trivedi reached out to Romine, and together they founded Legato in late 2024. The company has since provided a first glimpse of its frames and announces a launch in the fall.