The People Behind Vocci Company
Albert Camus once said, "All great thoughts and deeds have ridiculous beginnings." While we aren't sure if our deeds qualify as great yet, our beginnings are absolutely ridiculous.
Siyuan: We've been friends for 20 years, starting as high school roommates. Siyuan was the resident math genius and an enthusiastic (but mediocre) rugby player. His academic performance was so dominant that his name was permanently carved into the school wall—a feat I have been professionally jealous of for two decades. We didn't reconnect until he arrived at UCLA for his PhD and pivoted from professional computer scientist to amateur guitarist. We've talked about starting a jazz band ever since (I used to play keyboard), but we never actually did it. I guess co-founding a company is the closest we'll ever get to being bandmates.
Felix: I met Felix ten years ago when he was an audacious undergraduate doing summer research in my PhD lab at Stanford. He literally flew to the U.S. alone on a tourist visa—paying for his own housing and food—all because Stanford made the mistake of not officially accepting him into their summer program. To get "revenge," he worked with such intensity that he published two papers in three months. He effectively bullied Stanford into admitting him into the PhD program by sheer force of output. Working with him is a constant blow to my ego, not just because of his productivity, but because he's a master-level skier. After years of practice, I'm still just trying to survive the green lanes.
Domingo: The "Meet Cute" with Domingo was epic. I was on a budget flight from SFO to Las Vegas for CES 2020. I managed to snag a window seat, and there was this "pro-looking" guy squeezed into the middle seat next to me. I'm usually not one for small talk on flights, but the plane was so tiny that the fuselage was literally pressing my shoulder into his, so I felt obligated to break the silence. I soon learned he was also a founder and that he'd spent years in Spain—a great icebreaker, as my then-girlfriend (now my wife) was there as well. It's magical how that random encounter led to a co-foundership, even though now when we travel together, Domingo works incredibly hard to avoid sitting next to me.
Why We Built the Vocci AI Smart Ring
Building Vocci Company wasn't just about hardware or AI; it's about the people who decided to jump into the unknown together. We built this company because we believe that the best work happens when you're surrounded by people who challenge you, ground you, and make the journey a little bit more ridiculous along the way.
Today, the Vocci Ring is the product of that shared obsession—a wearable AI Ring that turns fleeting thoughts into organized notes. If our story resonates with you, we'd love for you to experience the Vocci AI Smart Ring for yourself.