Taya is a San Francisco–based hardware-software startup developing the Taya Necklace, an $89 pendant that starts and stops recording with a button and, by default, keeps its microphone off until activated. During onboarding, users provide a short voice sample so the device’s on-device filtering and planned directional microphones prioritize the wearer’s voice and suppress surrounding audio, addressing privacy concerns common to voice recorders. Captured audio is sent to an iOS app that stores transcripts and offers an AI chat interface for querying notes. Founder and former Apple design engineer Elena Wagenmans wants the product to feel like jewelry rather than a gadget, aiming to broaden adoption among privacy-conscious consumers. The company, launched in 2024 and currently staffed by five full-time employees plus contractors, positions itself as a “single-player” note-taking tool rather than an ambient meeting recorder. Taya is experimenting with new feedback mechanisms on the pendant to confirm successful note capture, hinting at ongoing product iteration. No revenue or user metrics have been disclosed to date.

Total raised

$5M

Funding rounds

1

Latest round

Seed

Latest activity

Mar 2026