Investors back Skye’s AI home screen app for iPhone ahead of launch

Skyean iPhone app still in private testing aims to change the way people interact with AI on their smartphones. And even before it launched, it was already attracting interest online and from investors and “tens of thousands” of users, according to its maker — a sign that consumers may want an iPhone that’s more AI-aware.

Instead of launching an app or talking to an AI chatbot, the startup is working on designing an “agentic homescreen” for the iPhone, using iOS widgets as an interface.

Through these widgets, Skye would bring a kind of ambient intelligence to your device, providing personalized insights about your local weather, your current context, your health and more, according to a after of the creator, who passes away signüll on X. The app can also compose email responses, help you prepare for your meeting, send reminders, and flag suspicious charges on your bank accounts. The creator also claims that it can provide location-specific recommendations and additional information about local businesses, neighborhoods, and attractions while you’re on the go.

Much of this data would come in through authorized connections granted by the user.

The app, which will be built by a small team from the start-up Signul Laboratorieshas already caught the attention of investors, despite not having a public product yet.

According to to an SEC filingthe startup raised over $3.58 million in pre-seed funding in a round that closed in September 2025. PitchBook also currently lists funding from New York-based Signull Labs, along with a post-money valuation of $19.5 million.

Since announcing the startup’s plans on X, signüll, whose name TechCrunch confirmed as Nirav Savjani according to the SEC filings and other documents claims the app has added “tens of thousands” of users to its waitlist. If this metric is accurate, it would indicate strong consumer interest in an iPhone that is more AI-aware. (And the possibility that a new type of AI device, like the rumored OpenAI smartphone, could have a shot.)

TechCrunch spoke with signüll, who shared more about the product and financing, on the condition that his pseudonymity was protected. TechCrunch declined, because Signüll’s name is publicly listed in the SEC filings establishing Signull Labs. (TechCrunch said we’d still be happy to publish an interview with him if he’s willing to go on the record.)

The founder noted that he previously worked at Google and Meta, although he doesn’t have a significant presence on LinkedIn. He also told TechCrunch that Skye’s early backers were included a16z (Andreessen Horowitz), True Ventures, SV Angel and other individuals. Offline businesses We discovered that Signull Labs is also in its online portfolio.

Since Skye’s announcement, Savjani has done just that appeared on the TBPN podcast as his avatar and has been post on X about his use of the app.

He told TechCrunch that the Skye app will soon appear on users’ waitlist, although he declined to provide details.