Legato Frames Scale AI Hearing Assistance in Everyday Eyewear
Legato, a new hearing tech company, aims to close the gap between the estimated 50 million U.S. adults with hearing loss and the mere 20% who seek treatment. The startup emerged from stealth on Wednesday with $12 million in funding and a first look at its AI hearing glasses, the Legato Frames. The glasses, called Legato Frames, integrate the company's patented hearing-assistance technology into the arms of eyewear frames.
Founders Bring Wearable and Hearing Care Legacies
Mehul Trivedi and Steve Romine founded Legato in late 2024, bringing extensive experience from the wearable and hearing care industries. Trivedi led the creation of Bose Frames at Bose, then worked on smart eyewear at EssilorLuxottica and the Meta Ray-Bans. Romine ran the hearing aids division at Audicus. After years at larger companies, Trivedi explored the intersection of hearing technology and smart eyewear, eventually contacting Romine to partner on the idea. As Trivedi told TechCrunch, "Our goal is to make hearing as ubiquitous as vision." He emphasizes that hearing better is about connection — when people hear better, they connect to the world and it reduces dementia and depression risk.
Targeting the Largest Segment of Hearing Loss
Legato focuses on people with mild to moderate hearing loss, which the startup says represents the largest segment of the hearing-loss population. The company set out to make hearing care more accessible by addressing the cost, comfort, and stigma associated with traditional hearing aids. Traditional hearing aids often use directional microphones to focus on sounds coming from a particular direction, which works well in quiet settings but can be difficult in noisy environments, such as restaurants. Legato takes a different approach by using an AI-powered system to differentiate between background noise and voices, amplifying only the voices. The goal is to make conversations clearer without creating the cognitively draining listening experience that can come with some traditional hearing aids.
Proprietary Technology Stack
The company developed a proprietary acoustic system, signal-processing stack, and mechanical architecture to create glasses that are small, lightweight, and discreet. After spending years at larger companies, Trivedi took some time off to explore the intersection of hearing technology and smart eyewear. During that time, Trivedi came across technology he believed could bring the two together, so he contacted Romine and the pair founded Legato in late 2024. The company started with the goal of making hearing care more accessible by addressing the cost, comfort, and stigma associated with traditional hearing aids. Legato set out to make the glasses as small and lightweight as possible, and developed a proprietary acoustic system, signal-processing stack, and mechanical architecture to achieve it.
Sound Delivery Without Compromise
Legato Frames feature an open-ear design with a dual-speaker system that directs sound toward the wearer while canceling sound that escapes. The company claims a 99% sound reduction just a few inches away from the ear, ensuring sound isn't broadcast to people nearby. While the frames have an open-ear design, sound isn't broadcast to people around you. They feature a dual-speaker system that directs sound toward the wearer while canceling sound that escapes, reducing sound by 99% just a few inches away from the ear.
Funding and Distribution
The funding round, led by Neotribe Ventures, Listen, and Village Global, has largely gone toward product development and marketing efforts. Legato Frames are expected to launch later this fall through select eye-care providers nationwide. The company says the glasses will cost a fraction of traditional hearing aids and may be eligible for vision insurance when purchased through an eye-care clinic. When the frames launch later this year, Legato says they'll be available through select eye-care providers nationwide and will "cost a fraction" of traditional hearing aids and may be eligible for vision insurance when purchased through an eye-care clinic.
Designed for Effortless Use
The frames are meant to feel and look like regular glasses with no controls to fiddle with. The design is effortless and easy to use, working throughout the day without configuration. This approach targets users who want better hearing without the compromises of traditional hearing aids. "We wanted to deliver an experience that was unique," Trivedi said. "So a form factor that's really discreet and looks normal. They're meant to feel and look like regular glasses. And so, we want it to be a product that's effortless, easy to use, with kind of no controls that you need to fiddle with, works everywhere, works throughout your day, doesn't need a ton of configuration, and just delivers you better hearing." The glasses, called Legato Frames, integrate the company's patented hearing-assistance technology into the arms of eyewear frames. Legato Frames are expected to launch later this fall.
[written by Leo Tran, augmented by SpendLens research pipeline]
