Hearing Tech Startup Legato Reveals $12M Funding and Unveils AI-Driven Hearing Glasses After Stealth Launch

Around 50 million adults in the United States suffer from hearing loss, but only about 20% of those who receive a diagnosis seek assistance. Legato, a groundbreaking startup specializing in hearing technology, aims to tackle this challenge.

This startup is set to emerge from stealth mode this Wednesday, boasting an impressive $12 million in funding and presenting a sneak peek at its AI-enhanced hearing glasses, as reported by TechCrunch. Dubbed Legato Frames, these glasses fuse the company’s proprietary hearing assistance technology into the arms of standard eyewear. The launch of Legato Frames is expected later this fall.

Founded by Mehul Trivedi and Steve Romine, who both have substantial experience in wearables and hearing health from Bose—where Trivedi played a key role in creating Bose Frames and Romine managed the hearing aids division. Following their tenure at Bose, Trivedi joined EssilorLuxottica, focusing on smart eyewear and contributing to the Meta Ray-Ban project, while Romine took on the role of COO at hearing care company Audicus.

After years spent in major corporations, Trivedi took a step back to explore the convergence of hearing technology and smart eyewear. He discovered innovations that could integrate these two areas, prompting him to contact Romine, leading to the establishment of Legato in late 2024.

“Our goal is to normalize hearing in the same way as vision,” Trivedi stated in a conversation with TechCrunch. “It’s as simple as getting an eye exam, receiving your glasses, and wearing them happily, while the thought of returning to blurry vision is out of the question. We want to mirror that experience with hearing, allowing it to become an aspect of life that people manage effortlessly.”

Legato aims to assist individuals experiencing mild to moderate hearing loss, which constitutes the largest portion of the affected demographic, according to the startup.

The company was founded with the mission of making hearing care more accessible by addressing the financial, comfort, and social barriers associated with conventional hearing aids. Legato strives to ensure the frames are lightweight and compact, developing a proprietary acoustic system, signal-processing architecture, and mechanical design to achieve this aim.

Standard hearing aids typically utilize directional microphones to focus on sounds from specific sources, performing well in quiet environments but facing challenges in noisy settings like restaurants. Conversely, Legato implements an AI-driven approach that differentiates between background noise and voices, amplifying only the latter.

The goal is to improve conversation clarity while reducing the cognitive load commonly associated with some traditional hearing aids.

“We sought to create a unique experience,” Trivedi elaborated. “The design is intentionally discreet, resembling regular eyeglasses. It should feel natural and require no complicated adjustments—working naturally throughout your day to enhance your hearing.”

While the frames are designed to be open-ear, they do not project sound to those nearby. They feature a dual-speaker system that channels sound directly to the user while minimizing any sound leakage, reducing volume by 99% just a few inches from the ear.

The acquired funding, supported by Neotribe Ventures, Listen, and Village Global, primarily focuses on product development and marketing efforts.

“This product gives us a valuable opportunity to connect with a demographic and create a solution that overcomes the shortcomings of traditional hearing aids,” Trivedi noted. “Hearing extends beyond enjoying sound; it’s fundamentally about connection. Enhanced hearing strengthens our rapport with the world and helps reduce the risks of dementia and depression,” he further explained.

“The advantages of effective hearing transcend mere perception. We have engineered a product that users can wear for 16 hours, trusted to improve both hearing and vision, and we are excited to continue supporting them in every way possible.”

Legato intends to release the frames later this year via select eye care providers across the country, pricing them significantly lower than traditional hearing aids, and possibly accepting vision insurance when purchased from an eye-care clinic.