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Overview
Sandbar creates an interface built around Stream, a private voice space designed to hold and organize everything on your mind. It uses voice as the main input and workspace to capture thoughts, ideas, and notes in a private ring, rather than public posts or text-only tools. Users talk to Stream to record and manage what they’re thinking, and the interface guides how those thoughts are stored, recalled, and organized. Sandbar differentiates itself by focusing on a private, voice-first space rather than mass-market social feeds or public messaging, aiming to give people a personal, accessible way to capture and structure their inner thoughts. The company’s goal is to provide a simple, private voice interface that lets you express and organize everything on your mind through Stream.
About Sandbar
Industries
Hardware
Consumer Software
AI & Machine Learning
Company Size
51-200
Company Stage
Series A
Total Funding
$36M
Headquarters
New York City, New York
Founded
2023
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Sandbar raised $23 million in March 2026, backing Stream's launch and app expansion.
- Stream shipped in U.S. batches by August 2026, turning preorders into real usage.
- Sandbar is hiring ML engineers in New York for real-time conversational AI.
What critics are saying
- Stream remains iOS-first, leaving Android adoption to competitors like Plaud and Omi.
- Apple and OpenAI can bundle voice capture into phones, making Stream redundant.
- If shipping batches slip past 2026, preorder hype dies and Sandbar's hardware brand stalls.
What makes Sandbar unique
- Stream uses touch-to-talk privacy, unlike always-listening wearables.
- Sandbar targets note-taking and dictation, not health tracking, from former Meta engineers.
- iOS and Mac universal dictation plus silent haptics make Stream a workflow device.
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Funding
Total Funding
$36M
Above
Industry Average
Funded Over
2 Rounds
Industry standards
Benefits
Health Insurance
Vision Insurance
Dental Insurance
Unlimited Paid Time Off
Company Equity
Growth & Insights and Company News
6 month growth
↑ 3%1 year growth
↑ 12%2 year growth
↑ 33%Watch as Sandbar CEO Mina Fahmi joins Equity to discuss the future of AI wearables and what other AI hardware companies got wrong.
Sandbar, an AI hardware startup, has raised $23 million in a Series A round co-led by Adjacent and Kindred Ventures to launch Stream, an AI note-taking ring. The company previously raised $13 million from True Ventures, Upfront and Betaworks. Founded in 2023 by Mina Fahmi and Kirak Hong, who previously worked on Meta's neural wristband project, Sandbar's Stream ring allows users to capture notes and ideas through voice commands with a simple hand-to-mouth gesture. The device, priced between $249 and $299, combines hardware including a haptic motor with customised AI models to process audio inputs and resurface relevant past notes. The startup's 15-person team plans to release Stream this summer, initially focusing on note-taking and brainstorming capabilities. Sandbar envisions the ring serving as an interface for apps like Notion and potentially managing autonomous AI agents.
Sandbar, founded by former Meta engineers, has raised $13M to launch Stream, a voice-controlled smart ring. Stream, described as "a mouse for voice," is worn on the index finger and features built-in microphones and a touchpad. It allows users to capture notes, interact with assistants, and control media through gestures. The ring activates only when pressed, ensuring privacy, and transcribes even whispers into its companion iOS app with high accuracy.
Some physical products can feel like they become part of us, like a watch that you wear every day or a favorite pair of earrings. I believe that Sandbar’s Stream Ring has the potential to be one of them.
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About Sandbar
Industries
Hardware
Consumer Software
AI & Machine Learning
Company Size
51-200
Company Stage
Series A
Total Funding
$36M
Headquarters
New York City, New York
Founded
2023
Sandbar is Hiring for 12 Jobs on Simplify!
Find jobs on Simplify and start your career today