Sesame envisions a future where voice is the most intimate and natural interface, transforming everyday interactions into deeply engaging and emotionally resonant experiences. We are committed to transcending the limitations of current voice assistants by developing companions capable of rich, context-aware dialogue that feel truly alive.
Our mission is to build voice companions that combine advanced AI, machine learning, and hardware innovation to create meaningful, trustworthy connections. By pioneering cutting-edge transformer-based conversational models and vertically integrating hardware like smart glasses, we are shaping a new era of always-on, expressive voice AI that enhances daily life.
We believe the next frontier of technology lies in creating voice presence that fosters real relationships between humans and machines. Through open innovation and deep research, Sesame is driving this evolution to empower users with voice companions that are both useful and emotionally intelligent.
Our Review
When we first heard about Sesame, we'll admit we were skeptical. Another voice AI startup promising to revolutionize how we talk to machines? We've heard that pitch before. But after digging into what Brendan Iribe (yes, the Oculus co-founder) and his team are building, we found ourselves genuinely intrigued.
This isn't your typical "Alexa but better" play. Sesame is going after something far more ambitious: creating voice companions that actually feel real.
What Makes This Different
The secret sauce here is their Conversational Speech Model (CSM), which delivers responses in under 300 milliseconds. That might sound like technical jargon, but it's actually huge — we're talking about the difference between a conversation that flows naturally and one that feels like you're waiting for a slow computer to catch up.
We were impressed that they open-sourced a version of their model (CSM-1B) early in 2025. It's a smart move that shows confidence in their tech while building developer goodwill. The fact that it quickly gained over 2,000 stars on Hugging Face tells us the AI community is paying attention.
The Hardware Gamble
Here's where things get really interesting — Sesame isn't just building software. They're developing AI-powered smart glasses designed for always-on voice interaction. It's a bold vertical integration play that reminds us of early Apple, controlling the entire experience from chip to conversation.
This approach is risky but potentially brilliant. If they can nail the hardware-software integration, they could leapfrog existing voice assistants entirely.
Who This Actually Serves
We see two clear paths for Sesame. On the consumer side, they're targeting people who want genuinely useful voice companions — not just glorified timers and weather apps. Think always-on assistants that can hold real conversations and actually understand context and emotion.
The enterprise opportunity might be even bigger. Customer service, automotive interfaces, and other voice-heavy industries are crying out for AI that doesn't sound robotic. Sesame's sub-300ms response times could be a game-changer here.
With $47.5 million already in the bank and reports of a $200 million Series B targeting a $1 billion valuation, investors clearly believe this team can execute. Given Iribe's track record with Oculus and the caliber of backers (Andreessen Horowitz, Spark Capital), we're cautiously optimistic they might just pull off this ambitious vision of making voice AI that actually works like it does in the movies.
Features
Conversational Speech Model (CSM) enabling fluid, human-like conversations
Open source CSM-1B voice AI model
AI-powered smart glasses for always-on voice interaction
Hosted Inference APIs for developers and enterprises
Emotionally intelligent, context-aware voice companions
Jobs
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Ploy was founded in 2024.
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