Novel Effect builds a voice-enabled storytelling platform that uses voice recognition to automatically add music and soundscapes to book readings. The app offers more than 150 free audio "soundscapes" for print books and also runs background audio with e-books. The company monetizes by charging publishers and authors to enable books and by taking commissions on book sales, and reports 50,000 downloads and 10,000 monthly active users who spend more than five minutes per session. The 11-person startup, founded in 2015, will use new funding to acquire users, grow its team, and expand its technology into new product categories and platforms; it plans to roll out an Android app and an Alexa Skill. Novel Effect has participated in the inaugural Alexa Accelerator, appeared on Shark Tank without taking investment, and won a Webby Award for Best Integrated Mobile Experience.

Total raised

$3M

Funding rounds

1

Latest round

Series A

Latest activity

May 2018