techcrunch.com
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Jul 16
Ultrahuman’s former hardware VP raises $5.5M for devices that control AI agents,…
Aina, a Bengaluru- and San Francisco-based startup founded by former Ultrahuman hardware VP Apoorv Shankar, has raised $5.5 million to develop AI interface devices. The funding round was led by Redstart Labs and 360 ONE, with participation from MIXI Global Investments, Antler, Blume Founders Fund, and individual investors including Kunal Shah and Razorpay co-founders. Previously known as Project Mirage, Aina is launching Dune, a three-key macro keyboard designed to control AI agents rather than merely record context. While the company initially developed Radiance and Shift, user testing favored Dune, leading to its prioritization. Shankar aims to create action-oriented hardware that triggers workflows using existing device context. The startup plans to test a new, undisclosed device soon, focusing on controlling AI agents instead of passive data capture. This move enters a crowded market featuring competitors like Rabbit, Humane, and Meta, as developers increasingly seek dedicated hardware for AI coding tools and automation.
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Aina pivots the hardware narrative from passive surveillance to active agent control, addressing a specific workflow gap for developers using AI coding tools. By prioritizing utility over novelty, the startup challenges the prevailing "always-on" recording paradigm dominating the current AI wearable landscape.