LA-based Noctal, an innovative audio engine designed to simplify and enhance sound design for content creators, announced a $1.8 million seed round as it preps for its 2025 product launch. Caruso Ventures led the round, joining past investors such as Media Empire Ventures – featuring Mac Boucher, Daouda Leonard and Grimes – X’s Head of Original Content Mitchell Smith, and Major League Baseball player Tony Kemp, to enhance Noctal’s vision.
The company was founded and is led by Colorado native and University of Colorado Boulder alumnus Isaiah Chavous. And he served as student body president at CU from 2020-2021 (overseeing a $26 million budget) and co-founded the campus’s Center for African and African American Studies. Chavous continues driving the company forward despite having the home where he lived destroyed in the recent Pacific Palisades fire. He escaped just ahead of the flames.
By utilizing machine learning, Noctal automates the placement of sound effects, ensuring precise synchronization with video actions. Users can access a diverse, high-quality sound library, receive intelligent recommendations tailored to their visuals, and customize soundscapes to fit their project’s unique style and tone. And this approach streamlines the sound design process while enriching the content, making it more efficient and effective for content creators.
Noctal utilizes AI to streamline time-consuming production processes, helping creators, editors, and studios focus on storytelling without technical hurdles. And Noctal’s toolset adapts to each creator’s needs, adjusting to different editing styles to ensure that creators achieve their desired results.
Before launching Noctal, Chavous led business development and partnerships at an augmented reality game company, working with icons such as Lewis Hamilton, Snoop Dogg, Michael Bay, Elton John, and Grimes. Noctal COO and co-founder James Paul has more than 10 years of media experience, working in physical production in Hollywood on films like Ghostbusters (2016) and at immersive technology startups, and is an active member of the Producer’s Guild of America.
KEY QUOTES:
“Our mission is to let artists and innovators focus on what they do best—bringing their visions to life. This latest round of funding brings us closer to realizing this mission. By simplifying the complexities of production, we hope to empower a new wave of storytellers to push boundaries and craft work that resonates well beyond the final edit. Noctal isn’t just a tool—it’s a catalyst for unlocking potential and inspiring creativity.”
“We’re entering an era of hyper-commodification, where machine learning has democratized creation and supercharged innovation. Success now depends on a bold, opinionated vision such as tailored workflows, branding, and curated experiences for niche communities. Noctal’s mission is clear: empower creatives, both independent and commercial, with tools that amplify human imagination through technology.”
- Noctal CEO and co-founder Isaiah Chavous
“I’m thrilled to back Isaiah and the Noctal team as they redefine what’s possible in production technology. Noctal’s approach to redefining media production is poised to disrupt the industry, creating a ripple effect that will resonate with creators and studios worldwide.”
- Caruso Ventures Founder Dan Caruso
“Our goal at Noctal is to bring win-win outcomes to everything we do. Whether you are an independent creator with something to say or part of a large film production, time is always the most valuable commodity. With Noctal, we aim to give creators back the time they need to focus on what’s important – their creative vision.”
- Noctal COO and co-founder James Paul
