Ex-Meta founders’ AI wearable startup Nirva raises $25m

Personal AI wearable company Nirva Labs has secured $25 million in early funding to develop its stylish AI jewelry designed to provide emotional insights to users. The company, backed by Lightspeed Venture Partners, South Park Commons, and others, has now raised a total of $33 million following an $8 million seed round. Nirva's initial product will be AI-powered jewelry, such as necklaces or bracelets, designed to automatically journal a user's day, identify patterns in moods and relationships, and offer advice via a companion app.

The sleek necklace is made of silver, gold, onyx, and other materials, featuring a minimal design suitable for wearing with tailored clothing. Nirva's CEO and co-founder, Wei Lyu, emphasized that their AI assistant learns from everyday life rather than relying solely on user input, offering unique insights and relationship advice.

Lyu explained that the wearable device, which connects to a companion app on a mobile device, primarily focuses on the user's voice and can access calendar, location, and health data with the user's permission to better understand their day. Nirva's approach differs from the mainstream AI wearables industry, which primarily focuses on boosting productivity through features like transcribing conversations or responding to wake words.

The global AI wearable market is valued at approximately $55.7 billion in 2026 and is expected to grow to $310.6 billion by 2033. Nirva's funding will support the company through its launch and help it develop subsequent generations of hardware. The company currently employs around 20 people and is hiring engineers, product designers, and marketers in San Francisco.