Era computer raises $11M to build a software platform for AI gadgets

In a recent event held in New York City, the innovative startup Era showcased its vision by inviting artists who received its developer kit. These creators unveiled a range of experimental mini gadgets, including a souvenir that shares fun facts and jokes about France, a device that analyzes stock performance to assess job security, and a gadget that monitors air quality. At the heart of these inventions lies Era's unique software platform, designed to empower hardware developers to create intelligent AI agents and orchestrate functionalities for various devices. Instead of manufacturing gadgets themselves, Era focuses on providing a robust software layer that can enhance existing devices, enabling features such as personalized voice generation or infusing intelligence into traditional products like headphones. To date, Era has raised a total of $11 million in funding, including a significant $9 million seed round led by Abstract Ventures and BoxGroup, with additional support from Collaborative Fund and Mozilla Ventures. Earlier, the company secured $2 million in pre-seed funding from Topology Ventures and Betaworks. Notable angel investors include prominent figures like Caterina Fake, Ken Kocienda, Tony Wang, Daniel Kuntz, Mina Fahmi, ShaoBo Z, and Kelin Zhang. Founded last year by CEO Liz Dorman, CTO Alex Ollman, and CPO Megan Gole, Era draws on the extensive experience of its leadership. Dorman previously worked on AI orchestration at Humane before transitioning to HP after its acquisition. Ollman contributed to agentic frameworks at HP, while Gole played a key role at Sutter Hill Ventures, working on projects with Jony Ive and Sam Altman. Casey Caruso, a managing partner at Topology Ventures and Era investor, highlighted the startup's orchestration platform, noting its ability to dynamically route across models and address real-world connectivity challenges. Dorman emphasized Era's mission to create a platform that empowers a new generation of intelligent devices, envisioning a shift away from traditional app-based models. "What we’re building is the intelligence layer to allow anyone to create these types of intelligent objects, intelligent devices," she stated. Era currently offers access to over 130 large language models (LLMs) from more than 14 providers, enabling various form factors such as glasses, jewelry, and smart speakers. Dorman anticipates that as new hardware designs emerge, manufacturers will increasingly require a software layer capable of managing multimodal inputs and inferences for enhanced intelligent features. The startup's platform is designed for scalability across millions of devices and can support customized AI experiments tailored to specific user needs. As the adoption of AI gadgets grows, Era aims to give users the ability to select their memory and model providers while prioritizing privacy. Looking ahead, Era intends to engage with the open-source and maker communities to demonstrate the potential of its platform across various device categories. Despite challenges in the AI hardware sector, Era remains optimistic that as users become more familiar with AI applications, a lasting market for these innovative devices will develop.