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Telli, a YC alum, raises pre-seed funding for its AI voice agents
Telli, a Berlin-based startup and Y Combinator alum, has raised $3.6 million in pre-seed funding to develop AI voice agents that assist companies with customer service tasks like booking appointments. The company aims to alleviate high customer volume bottlenecks while handling a variety of operations. Telli reports a 50% monthly revenue growth and has processed nearly a million calls with a six-person team.
Key points
- Telli raised $3.6 million in pre-seed funding led by Cherry Ventures and Y Combinator.
- The startup focuses on AI voice agents to alleviate customer service bottlenecks.
- Agents can perform tasks like automated callbacks and deal closures.
- Founded by ex-Enpal employees, Telli acknowledges call automation challenges.
- The company achieved over 50% month-over-month revenue growth.
- Telli has processed close to a million phone calls with a six-person team.
- Customers span Germany, the U.K., Latin America, and the U.S.
- Voice models are produced by voice actors and cloned using AI platforms like 11 Labs or Cartesian.
- Telli uses various AI models, including OpenAI and Claude, to optimize customer solutions.
Why it matters
- The surge in AI adoption in customer service aligns with 2025 IT trends emphasizing automation.
- AI voice technology has broadened the scope of customer engagement and experience optimization in businesses.
- Similar startups are capitalizing on AI to streamline operations, reflecting a shift in the service industry.
- Previous tech advancements, such as conversational AI, laid the groundwork for current innovations like Telli.
Telli's innovative approach to AI-driven customer service not only highlights the increasing reliance on automation in business operations but also exemplifies the growth potential of tech startups in an evolving digital landscape.