The smart ring contender has already raised over $500,000 on Kickstarter
Here at Wareable, we’ve been covering the world of wearable tech crowdfunding since the beginning. The market has matured significantly compared to a decade ago, when we were writing about what makes a great wearable tech crowdfunding campaign.
However, we still believe that platforms like Kickstarter are where some of the most exciting and innovative ideas take flight, popularizing new form factors and challenging the established players.
The latest campaign to catch our eye is the Aivela Ring Pro, a new smart ring tapping into two major trends: the growing demand for a subscription-free alternative to Oura and the largely unexplored potential of gesture controls.
The project, which launched on the platform in early September, has been a runaway success, smashing its funding goal and raising over $500,000 from nearly 4,000 backers.
We actually first spotted the brand at IFA in Berlin last month, not via Kickstarter, but its physical presence is an encouraging sign that this is far more than just vaporware, which still plagues the crowdfunding space.
With shipping estimated for as early as November 2025, Aivela is positioning itself as a serious new contender in the smart ring market.
An AI Health companion
At its core, and like most smart rings, the Aivela Ring Pro is a comprehensive health and wellness tracker. It features a suite of sensors to monitor all the key metrics you’d expect, including real-time heart rate, SpO2, stress levels, sleep patterns, and temperature trends.
Where it aims to differentiate itself is with its built-in AI wellness advisors. Users can choose between two personalities—’Dave’ for a factual approach and ‘Mira’ for a more empathetic style—who deliver daily, personalized health insights in a unique, two-minute “podcast-style” voice format.
This lifetime AI service comes included with the one-time purchase price, directly challenging Oura’s subscription model.
Gesture control is the killer feature
While its health tracking looks solid, Aivela’s most innovative feature is its focus on interaction.
The ring is equipped with an Optical Finger Navigation (OFN) sensor, which enables both touch and gesture controls—a feature that none of the established players have seriously pursued yet.
With a combination of eight touch actions and six ‘air’ gestures, users can control a range of other devices directly from their fingers. Aivela showcases the ability to manage music playback, advance slides in a presentation, navigate short-form video apps, and even trigger a phone camera, all without needing to touch another screen.
This has the potential, then, to transform the smart ring from a passive data collector into an active, convenient controller for your digital life. It’s something we don’t often see; the last similar example we came across was the Lotus Ring last year.
Premium design with pedigree
Aivela boasts that its Ring Pro features a tough titanium alloy shell with a durable PVD coating. This design not only makes it scratch-resistant but also allows it to withstand water pressure at depths of up to 100 meters.
The design itself boasts a legendary pedigree, too, led by Hartmut Esslinger, the designer behind Apple’s ‘Snow White’ design language in the 1980s.
This emphasis on premium design and materials is complemented by impressive manufacturing credentials; Goertek, the manufacturer trusted by many leading tech brands, is producing the ring.
With its innovative gesture controls, subscription-free AI coaching, and massive early backing, the Aivela Ring Pro is shaping up to be one of the most exciting new entrants in the smart ring space this year.
Early backers can still secure the ring for $149, with the final retail price set to be $299.
