Sandbar Raises $23M to Advance AI-Powered Wearable Note-Taking
Sandbar, the startup developing the Stream smart ring for on-the-head note-taking, has secured $23 million in a Series A funding round. The round was led by Adjacent and Kindred Ventures, bringing the company’s total funding to $36 million TechCrunch.
A New Approach to Note-Taking
Founded by former Meta employees Mina Fahmi and Kirak Hong, Sandbar’s Stream ring aims to redefine how people capture thoughts and ideas. Unlike health-focused smart rings like those from Oura, Stream is specifically designed for note-taking and interaction with an AI assistant Puck. The ring features a microphone activated by touch, allowing users to record notes hands-free.
How Stream Works
The Stream ring’s microphone is designed for proximity, requiring users to lift the ring to their mouth to record. Recordings are then transcribed, organized, and synced to a companion phone app. Users can also interact with an AI assistant through the app, and control media playback. Sandbar is working to enable more complex, multi-turn conversational interactions with the AI TechCrunch.
Early Traction and Future Plans
Sandbar experienced strong demand for the Stream ring following its initial launch, with the first pre-order batch selling out quickly. Early users are reportedly utilizing the ring frequently – some over 50 times a day – for tasks like presentation planning and trip organization TechCrunch. The company plans to begin shipping the rings this summer.
The company intends to focus on refining its app experience and expanding the functionality of recorded notes. Future development includes a web platform, improved user interface, reduced AI response latency, and the implementation of “agentic workflows” to allow users to seize action directly from their notes TechCrunch.
Expanding the Team and Market
With the new funding, Sandbar plans to double the size of its software and machine learning teams and expand its marketing efforts. The company currently has 15 employees with prior experience at companies like Amazon, Fitbit, Google, and Apple TechCrunch.
A Growing Market for Wearable Note-Taking
Sandbar is entering a growing market for wearable note-taking devices. Competitors include Plaud, which offers devices for meeting note-taking, and Pebble, which is developing a more affordable $75 ring. Other startups, like Taya, are focusing on premium designs to appeal to a broader audience TechCrunch.
Investor Confidence
Adjacent’s Nico Wittenborn, who previously invested in Blinkist, believes Sandbar’s Stream ring offers a superior form factor compared to other note-taking devices. He also highlighted the privacy aspect of the ring’s design, noting that the hand-to-mouth activation signals a private use case TechCrunch. Wittenborn also believes the design is more broadly appealing than hardware targeted towards “tech bros.”
Sandbar previously raised $13 million in November 2025 from True Ventures TechCrunch.