Legato Raises $12M to Launch AI Hearing Glasses

Legato has officially exited stealth mode, securing $12 million in funding to introduce its innovative AI-powered hearing glasses. The startup aims to address a significant gap in the market where an estimated 50 million adults in the United States suffer from hearing loss, yet only about 20% seek professional treatment. By integrating advanced hearing assistance into everyday eyewear, Legato hopes to normalize hearing care and make it as seamless as vision correction.

The new product, known as Legato Frames, is set to launch later this fall. These glasses embed the company’s patented hearing technology directly into the arms of the frames. The founders, Mehul Trivedi and Steve Romine, bring deep industry expertise from major players like Bose and EssilorLuxottica. Trivedi previously led the creation of Bose Frames and worked on smart eyewear at EssilorLuxottica, while Romine served as COO of Audicus and ran the hearing aids division at Bose. After years at these large corporations, the pair met during a period of exploration and founded Legato in late 2024 to merge their skills in wearables and hearing health.

“Our goal is to make hearing as ubiquitous as vision,” Trivedi said in an interview with TechCrunch. “It’s kind of a no-brainer that you go to an eye exam, you get your glasses, you wear your glasses, and you’re happy, and you do that for the rest of your life , and the idea of it being blurry again where you would just stop wearing them is not a consideration. I think that’s what we want to do with hearing: just make it something that people address and almost forget about.”

Redefining Hearing Aid Design

Legato is specifically targeting individuals with mild to moderate hearing loss, which constitutes the largest segment of the hearing-impaired population. The company seeks to dismantle the barriers associated with traditional hearing aids, such as high costs, discomfort, and social stigma. To achieve this, Legato engineered a proprietary acoustic system and signal-processing stack designed to keep the devices small and lightweight.

Traditional hearing aids often rely on directional microphones that struggle in noisy environments like restaurants. In contrast, Legato utilizes an AI-powered system to distinguish between background noise and human speech, amplifying only the voices. This approach aims to reduce the cognitive load often associated with listening through conventional devices.

“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.”

Audio Technology and Accessibility

Despite their open-ear design, the Legato Frames prevent sound leakage to bystanders. The device employs a dual-speaker system that directs audio toward the wearer while canceling escaping sound, reducing leakage by 99% just inches away from the ear. This ensures privacy and comfort for both the user and those around them.

The recent investment round includes contributions from Neotribe Ventures, Listen, and Village Global. These funds are primarily allocated to product development and marketing efforts. Trivedi emphasizes that the benefits of improved hearing extend beyond simple convenience, impacting mental health and social connection.

“We have an opportunity to address a population with this product and build something that delivers without all the compromises of traditional hearing aids,” Trivedi said. “Hearing, at first glance, it’s not so much just like ‘I want to hear the TV better.’ It’s really about connection. When you hear better, you connect to the world. It reduces dementia risk and depression risk,” he continued.

“There’s impactful hearing health factors associated with better hearing. We’ve got a product that lives on people for 16 hours that is trusted to help them with their hearing and their vision, and we’d love to continue helping them in every way we can.”

Upon release, Legato Frames will be available through select eye-care providers across the nation. The company states that the glasses will cost a fraction of traditional hearing aids and may be covered by vision insurance when purchased through participating clinics.