Talkbits is a Russian startup building a location-based, voice-first mobile messaging app that lets users leave geotagged voice messages, ask questions to nearby people, join public topic channels, and send direct voice messages to friends. At the time of the article it was in closed alpha with about 150 test users and was demoing forthcoming Android and iOS apps at the Dublin Web Summit. The company plans a city-by-city rollout, initially targeting London and Moscow, and scheduled wider invite distribution beginning November 1. Future product plans include supporting private voice chats for particular groups (the initial launch will not include private chat) alongside expanded public channels. The founding team includes CEO Olga Steidl and Andrei Vasilevsky, both with prior mobile roles at Yandex (Steidl was previously VP Marketing at SPB Software). Talkbits is exploring monetization via in-app purchases for virtual goods and partnerships with mobile operators to offer premium curated-channel services.

Total raised

$2M

Funding rounds

1

Latest round

Equity

Latest activity

Oct 2012