HomeTelli, a YC Alum, Secures Pre-Seed Funding for AI Voice Agents
If you've ever been frustrated by the long wait times when trying to book an appointment, the Berlin-based startup telli might just be the solution you've been looking for. Founded by Seb Hapte-Selassie, Philipp Baumanns, and Finn zur Mühlen, telli has developed AI voice agents that step in to manage high volumes of customer interactions, seamlessly integrating into company operations. This innovative approach has recently led to a successful pre-seed funding round, raising $3.6 million, spearheaded by Berlin's Cherry Ventures and Y Combinator.
Telli's AI voice agents are designed to handle a range of tasks, from automated callbacks to closing deals. This technology aims to alleviate the bottleneck that often occurs when a surge of customers tries to reach out, allowing human operators to focus on more complex issues. The voices of these AI agents are crafted by professional voice actors and then cloned using advanced platforms like ElevenLabs or Cartesian AI, ensuring a natural and engaging customer experience.
Impressive Growth and Expansion
Since its inception, telli has experienced remarkable growth, boasting a revenue increase of over 50% month over month. Operating out of Berlin with just a six-person team, the startup has managed to process nearly a million phone calls. Their customer base spans across Germany, the U.K., Latin America, and the U.S., with ambitions to expand further.
Origins and Inspiration
The idea for telli was born out of the founders' experiences at Enpal, a leading German startup. CEO Finn zur Mühlen shared with TechCrunch, "We scaled the customer service people, and we saw first-hand how difficult call automation for customer acquisition is and how challenging it is to manage performance." This insight led them to create AI agents capable of achieving tangible outcomes such as booking appointments, prequalifying leads, and making product suggestions.
Technology and Flexibility
Telli leverages a variety of AI models, including those from Open AI and Claude, to ensure they provide the most effective solutions to their clients. Zur Mühlen explained, "We switch around. Our goal is always to give our customers the best solutions that are out there right now." This adaptability is key to telli's success in meeting the diverse needs of their global clientele.
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Comments (27)
0/500
![LarryMitchell]()
Finally, an AI that actually picks up the phone! 📞 I'm so tired of holding on hold for 45 minutes just to book a dentist appointment. If telli can handle the chaos of Berlin's scheduling system, I'm all in. Let's hope it doesn't sound like a robot reading a script though. 🤖✨
![HarryGonzalez]()
Finally, a use for AI voice agents that actually makes sense! Booking appointments is such a pain, hope this works better than those endless phone trees. 🤞
![RalphGarcia]()
待ち時間の長さにいつもイライラしてたから、このAI音声エージェントは本当に助かるかも！でも完全にAIに任せちゃうのには少し不安もあるな…倫理的な問題は大丈夫？🤔
![RaymondWalker]()
¡Finalmente una solución real para las eternas esperas en las llamadas! 🎉 Aunque me pregunto si estos agentes de voz entiendrán acentos regionales... mi abuela tiene un fuerte andaluz que ni Siri comprende 🤣
![JerryLopez]()
用AI语音助手来预约确实是个不错的点子 🤖 不过还是有点担心隐私问题...这些通话记录会被保存多久？创业团队来自柏林倒是有趣，欧洲在AI应用层面发力了？
![RobertSanchez]()
Telli's AI voice agents sound like a game-changer for customer service! Imagine booking appointments without the endless hold music. Excited to see how they scale globally. 🚀
If you've ever been frustrated by the long wait times when trying to book an appointment, the Berlin-based startup telli might just be the solution you've been looking for. Founded by Seb Hapte-Selassie, Philipp Baumanns, and Finn zur Mühlen, telli has developed AI voice agents that step in to manage high volumes of customer interactions, seamlessly integrating into company operations. This innovative approach has recently led to a successful pre-seed funding round, raising $3.6 million, spearheaded by Berlin's Cherry Ventures and Y Combinator.
Telli's AI voice agents are designed to handle a range of tasks, from automated callbacks to closing deals. This technology aims to alleviate the bottleneck that often occurs when a surge of customers tries to reach out, allowing human operators to focus on more complex issues. The voices of these AI agents are crafted by professional voice actors and then cloned using advanced platforms like ElevenLabs or Cartesian AI, ensuring a natural and engaging customer experience.
Impressive Growth and Expansion
Since its inception, telli has experienced remarkable growth, boasting a revenue increase of over 50% month over month. Operating out of Berlin with just a six-person team, the startup has managed to process nearly a million phone calls. Their customer base spans across Germany, the U.K., Latin America, and the U.S., with ambitions to expand further.
Origins and Inspiration
The idea for telli was born out of the founders' experiences at Enpal, a leading German startup. CEO Finn zur Mühlen shared with TechCrunch, "We scaled the customer service people, and we saw first-hand how difficult call automation for customer acquisition is and how challenging it is to manage performance." This insight led them to create AI agents capable of achieving tangible outcomes such as booking appointments, prequalifying leads, and making product suggestions.
Technology and Flexibility
Telli leverages a variety of AI models, including those from Open AI and Claude, to ensure they provide the most effective solutions to their clients. Zur Mühlen explained, "We switch around. Our goal is always to give our customers the best solutions that are out there right now." This adaptability is key to telli's success in meeting the diverse needs of their global clientele.
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Finally, an AI that actually picks up the phone! 📞 I'm so tired of holding on hold for 45 minutes just to book a dentist appointment. If telli can handle the chaos of Berlin's scheduling system, I'm all in. Let's hope it doesn't sound like a robot reading a script though. 🤖✨
Finally, a use for AI voice agents that actually makes sense! Booking appointments is such a pain, hope this works better than those endless phone trees. 🤞
待ち時間の長さにいつもイライラしてたから、このAI音声エージェントは本当に助かるかも！でも完全にAIに任せちゃうのには少し不安もあるな…倫理的な問題は大丈夫？🤔
¡Finalmente una solución real para las eternas esperas en las llamadas! 🎉 Aunque me pregunto si estos agentes de voz entiendrán acentos regionales... mi abuela tiene un fuerte andaluz que ni Siri comprende 🤣
用AI语音助手来预约确实是个不错的点子 🤖 不过还是有点担心隐私问题...这些通话记录会被保存多久？创业团队来自柏林倒是有趣，欧洲在AI应用层面发力了？
Telli's AI voice agents sound like a game-changer for customer service! Imagine booking appointments without the endless hold music. Excited to see how they scale globally. 🚀
