Stealth startup Legato unveils AI-powered hearing glasses with $12M backing

Legato disclosed a $12 million financing round as it stepped out of stealth mode, introducing its first product, the Legato Frames, which combine hearing-assist technology with smart eyewear. The AI-driven system differentiates voices from ambient sounds, delivering clearer conversations without the cognitive strain of conventional hearing aids. Founders Mehul Trivedi and Steve Romine bring experience from Bose, EssilorLuxottica and Audicus, and intend the frames to serve the largest segment of the hearing-loss market—those with mild to moderate impairment.

Designed to look like ordinary glasses, the frames feature a dual-speaker architecture that directs sound inward while canceling leakage, reducing external sound by 99 percent. Funding from Neotribe Ventures, Listen and Village Global will support product development and marketing, and the devices will be offered via eye-care clinics nationwide at a fraction of traditional aid prices, potentially eligible for vision insurance.