Photo Credit: Audioburst
Ashkelon, Israel-based Audioburst is a company that is able to pull content from talk radio and podcasts in order to contextualize and index the world’s largest library of spoken word audio content into short form snippets. And Audioburst’s API enables companies to leverage audio content as a new layer of user engagement and monetization as consumers enjoy audio content discovery, recommendations, and deep levels of personalization through textual search or voice interaction across all kinds of devices.
Audioburst is already available on several interfaces including Audioburst Search, Alexa, and Google Home. And developers can access the Audioburst API to tap into the Audioburst Content Library and introduce a more dynamic and personalized listening experience for users across in-car infotainment systems, voice assistants, IoT gadgets, and smartphones. The company’s solutions are also integrated in products made from brands like Samsung, LG, Bytedance, Nippon Broadcasting System, Dentsu, and Hyundai.
And speaking of Dentsu and Hyundai, those two companies recently announced it made strategic investment partnerships that total more than $10 million into Audioburst. Audioburst’s existing investors Samsung Ventures, Nippon Broadcasting and Advanced Media Inc. also participated in that round as well. Including this funding round, Audioburst has raised $25 million total.
“The investments signal an industry acknowledgment for consumer demand of voice-based experiences, and Audioburst’s unmatched ability to deliver that technology,” said Audioburst co-founder and CEO Amir Hirsh. “It also provides us the ability to expand and expedite our technology offering, and tap into a larger ecosystem of investors and partners in the car, media, advertising and technology spaces.”
As part of the deal, Audioburst is going to build unique advertising and in-car voice-based experiences with the two companies. And Audioburst also announced plans to formally launch in the Japanese market by the end of the year.
Dentsu, the largest agency brand in the world, believes that it is necessary for creating intelligent and audio-based advertising solutions for the rapidly growing market. As part of the partnership, Dentsu is going to work closely with Audioburst to build a new market for personalized audio as an effect advertising channel for brands in Japan.
“Personalized advertising in the radio space has been limited to-date. In addition, the emergence of voice-activated services and audio content have provided a rapidly growing advertising opportunity for our clients,” added Dentsu Innovation Initiative managing director Hideki Ishibashi. “Partnering with Audioburst allows us to offer our global clients a solution backed by millions of pieces of content and user metadata, and a powerful understanding of listeners’ interests.”
And Hyundai is going to accelerate the development and deployment of the next generation infotainment system with Audioburst’s personalized audio search, playlists, and Deep Analysis API. This will provide Hyundai customers with an engaging screen-free original-voice experience.
“At Hyundai, our mission is to have our cars connected by 2020 and provide our customers with the best possible in-car experience,” explained Hyundai Motor Cmopany VP Dr. Yun-seong Hwang. “Partnering and investing in Audioburst ensures we will lead the charge in a data-driven first class audio experience.”
