Because

Anoria is a YC Spring 2026-backed consumer hardware startup focused on reading emotions to enhance emotional intelligence. Its mission is to make emotional intelligence trainable to inspire human connection and creativity. Founded in 2026 by Michael Belhassen, a solo founder and ex-Apple hardware product designer who led the iPhone 17 Pro enclosure, the company operates with a small team of about five and maintains offices in San Francisco and London. The startup is fundraising in a round involving angels and strategic partners, with a closing expectation within a week, and is positioned alongside wearables peers in the Whoop and Oura space. Two months into development, its first prototypes have been worn in the wild, underscoring its early hands-on approach.

9 Mothers Defense develops fast and cost-effective counter-small UAS (C-sUAS). The company uses AI for detection, tracking and defensive systems to protect against aerial threats, building AI-powered machines designed to intercept and neutralize Group 1/sUAS threats in real time. Operating in the defense industry with a focus on immediate threat countermeasures, it pursues mission-critical work countering immediate real-world aerial threats. Meaningful early equity for foundational owners and direct roadmap influence give employees a seat at the table shaping product and technology trajectory from day one, with zero red tape allowing them to make technical decisions autonomously. An on-site team in Austin, Texas builds robots, sensors and models to control them from scratch, using Python and Rust on embedded hardware, and their work spans vision, acoustics, radar and control systems across hardware and software.

Aira is an AI platform designed for procedural specialties that serves as the payer intelligence layer for medical device companies and surgical practices. The company automates critical back-office workflows while handling the full payer compliance lifecycle, including benefits verification, medical necessity determinations, prior authorization, and appeals management. By functioning as the intelligence layer powering market access teams, Aira helps healthcare providers and device manufacturers navigate the complexity of reimbursement processes to increase patient access to needed procedures. The platform addresses a key pain point in healthcare operations by streamlining the administrative burden that often delays care and complicates market entry for medical innovations.