Sandbar, a wearable technology startup founded by former Meta employees Mina Fahmi and Kirak Hong, has raised $23 million in Series A funding to advance its AI-powered note-taking ring and supporting software platform.
The round was led by Adjacent and Kindred Ventures. The company plans to use the funding to expand its engineering teams, refine its AI-driven note-taking tools, and prepare for the commercial launch of its Stream smart ring.
What The Company Does
Sandbar develops wearable devices designed to capture and organize spoken notes through artificial intelligence. Its flagship product, the Stream ring, is a wearable device that allows users to record ideas, reminders, and conversations directly from their finger.
Unlike many smart rings currently on the market, which focus primarily on health tracking, the Stream ring is designed for productivity and voice-based note capture. The device includes a built-in microphone that remains inactive until the user presses a touch-sensitive panel located on the ring’s surface.
Once activated, the ring can record spoken notes, interact with an AI assistant through a companion smartphone application, and control media functions such as playback and volume.
The AI system processes recorded audio and converts it into structured notes that can later be searched, edited, or expanded within the mobile app.
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Market Context / Industry Background
The market for AI-powered note-taking tools has expanded rapidly alongside the development of generative AI systems capable of summarizing conversations and organizing information.
Several companies have introduced devices that record meetings or conversations and generate transcripts or summaries. These tools are often designed for office environments or professional meetings.
At the same time, wearable technology companies are exploring new form factors that integrate AI capabilities into everyday devices. Smart rings have emerged as one such category due to their compact size and continuous availability.
While many existing rings focus on health monitoring and biometric tracking, a smaller group of startups is experimenting with productivity-oriented wearables that capture spoken information in real time.
Companies including Plaud and others have launched devices for AI-based note recording, while newer entrants are exploring different design approaches and pricing strategies.
Founder / Investor Commentary
Sandbar co-founder and CEO Mina Fahmi said the company began developing the Stream ring more than two years ago before publicly unveiling the product last year.
“The response was a lot warmer than we expected,” Fahmi said. “A lot of people said they could see themselves wearing this.”
According to Fahmi, early adopters have already incorporated the ring into daily routines. Some users reportedly activate the device dozens of times per day to capture ideas, organize tasks, or prepare presentations and travel plans.
The company is also working on expanding the conversational capabilities of its AI assistant.
“Something that we think is necessary is back-and-forth conversation,” Fahmi said. He noted that users often return to the assistant to clarify or expand incomplete notes, which has led the company to explore multi-step voice interactions.
Growth Plans / Use Of Funds
Sandbar plans to use the Series A funding to expand its software and machine learning teams while preparing for the first commercial shipments of the Stream ring.
The company currently employs about 15 people, including engineers and designers with experience at companies such as Amazon, Google, Apple, Fitbit, and Equinox.
The Stream ring is expected to begin shipping later this summer. In the meantime, the company is refining its companion mobile application, improving the user interface, and reducing latency in AI-generated responses.
Sandbar is also developing a web-based platform and exploring new features that would allow users to perform tasks based on recorded notes.
In the longer term, the company aims to support agent-based workflows where users can take actions directly from captured notes.
The company previously raised $13 million in funding from True Ventures and has now secured a total of approximately $36 million since its founding.
About Sandbar
Sandbar is a wearable technology startup developing AI-powered tools for capturing and organizing spoken notes. Founded by Mina Fahmi and Kirak Hong, the company builds devices and software that allow users to record ideas and interact with AI assistants through voice. Its flagship product, the Stream smart ring, integrates audio capture, AI transcription, and conversational tools to help users manage information throughout their day.
