SOND, a Sleep Tech Startup Founded by Former Bose Sleep Head, Launches from Stealth Mode with $7M in Funding.

Traditionally, sleep earbuds have concentrated on blocking ambient sounds and delivering calming audio to improve sleep quality. Now, a Boston startup called SOND is introducing a revolutionary type of earbuds designed to enhance sleep quality actively.

Co-founded by two MIT graduates—one of whom was previously Bose’s Head of Global Sleep—SOND officially debuted from its stealth phase on Wednesday, securing $7 million in investments. Alongside this funding, the company introduced its inaugural product: Dreambuds. This cutting-edge in-ear device monitors 12 physiological signals from the user and reacts to them in real-time, aimed at promoting better sleep.

The initial investment of $7 million was backed by various sources, including the E14 Fund (an MIT-linked fund), Crosslink Capital, Ubiquity Ventures, Alumni Ventures, Meach Cove Capital, and Boston Scientific co-founder John Abele.

To operate effectively, the Dreambuds monitor multiple signals such as breathing, heart rate variability, cardiorespiratory coupling, sleep phases, body position, snoring, and seismocardiography (SCG), which measures the mechanical vibration from the heart.

This sensor data is streamed continuously to a cloud-based AI sleep coach that selects or creates the optimal sleep audio program based on real-time analysis, consistently adapting recommendations to the individual user.

Users can engage with the AI sleep coach using voice commands to request sleep insights or specific audio programs from SOND’s vast library of over 500 options. Additionally, they can choose to stream podcasts via the case. The AI coach can even create personalized audio, including themed sleep stories upon request.

Notably, the company’s CEO Yadid Ayzenberg, a former Bose Head of Sleep Products responsible for the Bose Sleepbuds 2, co-founded SOND to fill the void left when Bose exited the sleep technology market. He began this venture in February 2022.

“I invested significant time learning about physiology, sensors, and audio … it felt inevitable,” Ayzenberg shared with TechCrunch while seated with co-founder and CTO Amir Lazarovich, a former senior software engineering manager at Google, showcasing their prototype Dreambuds.

The co-founders originally crossed paths at MIT, where their meeting was also sleep-related. Lazarovich, focused on distributed systems, needed a mattress after relocating to a family dorm, and Ayzenberg offered his, initiating a friendship spanning more than 14 years.

After MIT, Ayzenberg established a startup known as The Sync Project, which connected music with physiological elements like heart rate. This venture was acquired by Bose, influencing his work on the second generation of Sleepbuds.

Bose customers frequently voiced their desire for more than just noise cancellation; they wanted sensors that could monitor and enhance their sleep. At that time, technology wasn’t yet capable of integrating various sensors into a compact design like AirPods without sacrificing battery life. By the time Bose departed from the sleep wearables sector, advancements had made it possible to fill that gap.

Ayzenberg cautioned that Dreambuds should not be mistaken for a possible Bose Dreambuds III, noting that competitor Ozlo’s earbuds might represent what a sequel would have entailed.

“We ventured into completely new territory. While the earbud shape is conventional, that’s where the resemblances conclude,” he clarified.

The system runs independently without the need for a smartphone. Instead, the Dreambuds’ charging case is equipped with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, an OLED display, physical buttons, and a speaker to help wake users with alarms—even if they doze off before putting in the earbuds.

The design is focused on eliminating the necessity for users to grab their phones to control the sleep technology.

“We often joke that giving an insomniac a phone is like holding an AA meeting in a liquor store,” Ayzenberg quips. “Users can simply remove the buds and continue their sleep routine,” he explains. “They can also switch between sleep plans. A quick double-tap allows them to communicate with the coach, saying things like, ‘I’m having trouble sleeping. I want this or that.’”

The sleep coach can address specific issues using historical data on what has worked for the user, whether it’s breathing exercises, calming music, ambient sounds, binaural beats, or other techniques. Ayzenberg notes that the AI coach will only respond when prompted by the double-tap gesture to prevent startling or unsettling users.

Lazarovich highlights that the AI coach’s responses will be personalized to the user’s situation. “For example, if you engage right before bedtime, it might ask, ‘Are you ready to wind down?’ Conversely, after waking up, it could inquire, ‘How was your night?’”

In addition to receiving updates from the AI coach, Dreambuds users can access their data and hypnograms (graphs of sleep cycles) through the user-friendly app for enhanced insights into their sleep habits.

The earbuds present a unique design, with sensors intentionally oriented outward, creating an artistic appearance rather than hiding the technology. They feature wide-frequency drivers for superior audio, along with microphones and sensors for motion detection.

SOND has conducted various comfort studies and beta tests, intending to enter mass production by the second quarter of 2026, following a crowdfunding campaign to secure additional funding. The company is currently accepting reservations through its website.