Startup Aina raises $5.5 million for new devices designed to control AI agents
In the world of Artificial Intelligence (AI), competition is intensifying not only in software but also in hardware that enables interaction with these technologies. Aina, a startup founded by Apoorv Shankar, former VP at Ultrahuman, aims to take human-computer interaction to a new level. The company managed to raise $5.5 million in an investment round led by Redstart Labs and 360 ONE. This is reported by Techcrunch.com reports .
The participation of influential investors such as WhatsApp head Kunal Shah and the founders of Razorpay in this project demonstrates confidence in this new industry direction. Aina (which means "mirror" in Hindi) is working on gadgets that do not just record user speech, but serve to directly control AI agents. According to TechCrunch, the project founder previously held a senior hardware position at smart ring manufacturer Ultrahuman.
A different approach from traditional gadgets
While devices like Rabbit R1 or Humane Pin currently exist on the market, Aina has chosen a different path with its first product, called Dune. Dune is a compact keyboard with three buttons that changes its function depending on the application the user is currently using. For example, during online meetings, it can control the microphone and camera, while at other times it can execute complex scripts.The company initially tested three different devices: the Radiance remote control, the Shift button for executing AI tasks with a single click, and the Dune keyboard. Test results showed that users were most interested in the Dune model. For this reason, the developers decided to integrate the functions of the other two devices into this keyboard.
Future plans and agentic interfaces
According to Apoorv Shankar, most modern AI gadgets only engage in "passive data collection," meaning they record events happening around them. Aina wants to provide tools that allow the user to actively manage processes. These devices will not just be voice assistants, but hubs for launching agents that perform specific tasks on behalf of the user.In the coming weeks, the company will begin testing its new generation device among a limited number of users. Although all details of the new product have not yet been disclosed, it is expected to make daily interaction with AI even easier. In developing markets, such compact and functional devices could become convenient work tools for IT professionals and remote workers.
- Dune — a context-aware smart keyboard;
- Radiance — a special controller for video calls;
- Shift — a button that activates AI agents with a single click.
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