With 4 million applications downloads, a Startup based in Estonia Vocal image Its objective is to help people improve their voice and communication skills with AI coaching. But from its 160,000 active users, it can be its CEO, Nick Lakhoika, who best plays his mission.
Lakhoika was born in Belarus, did not speak English until his relocation to Estonia, and once he had problems speaking anxiety. However, hey “winning many launch competitions” on behalf of the voice training startup, which was inspired by his trip, he told Techcrunch.
“When I was at school, I was a little intimidated by an unclear diction,” said Lakhoika. In his twenty years, when he was a founding young and insecure, he with a vocal coach, Maryna “Russia” Shukiurava, who taught him that voice and communication could be trained.
To help others, they began a YouTube channel that became a vocal image, which positions its subscription -based application as an affordable alternative for individual training you can use at home. “You can make strange movements, strange sounds […] And feel safe, “said Lakhoika.
With an interactive library that includes tongue tricks, breathing exercises and gesture advice, the vocal image also bows more and more in AI to give automated comments and custom advice, thanks in large part to the addition of co-figure.
These guided trips revolve mainly around the labor relationship objectives, such as improving professional or leadership skills, and developing oratory or presentation skills. But the vocal image also supports people who simply want to increase their self -confidence, as well as LGBTQ people, whose shukiurava rights I had leg support in Belarus.
While the trio is bellrusia, they were among the many Belaruse founders Who left his country of origin after the protests could not expel President Alexander Lukashenko and were with brutal repression. Lakhoika chose Estonia for his business environment, which until now has proven to be favorable for the startup.
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Shortly after moving to Tallinn, Image “Success stories“Due to its rapid growth. According to Lakhoika, the startup subsequently reached $ 6.5 million in annual recurring revenues (ARR) with less than $ 1 million in funds prior to the seed.
More recently, the startup raised a round of seeds of $ 3.6 million directed by French EDTECH VC SIGNATURE EDUCAPITALwith participation of VC specialized Out of Estonia and Generations fund Out of Germany, Techcrunch learned exclusively.
As of August, the startup now claims $ 12 million of RAR and short paid users, said Lakhoika. With a team of 20 people, including most scirruse exiles, Image Image now plans to grow their development team and deploy more locations (in addition to English, Spanish, German, French, Ukrainian and Russian).
This financing comes shortly after the startup was chosen by hugs, finish and scales as one of the five winners of their European AI start programBut also at a time when he faces greater competition. For example, the company Edtech Headway recently A speech coach with AI was added To its application of social skills, Skillsta. But the vocal image can count on its own AI compatible with GDPR.
With about 35,000 recordings per day, Image has accumulated more than 1 million real voice samples. Even better, these recordings are labeled by the community through voice rating, a collaboration feature that allows users to decide if others sound “safe” or “children’s”.
This is the son of the data set that applications such as vocal image need a lot to improve their precision. It could also help the startups of AI to adjust their artificial voices, creating more tail winds for the startup beyond its B2C roots.
