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Voiceflow

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Voiceflow
Company typeFor-profit corporation
IndustryInternet
FoundedAugust 2018
FounderBraden Ream, Tyler Han, Michael Hood, Andrew Lawrence
HeadquartersToronto, Canada
Websitehttps://www.voiceflow.com/

Voiceflow is an online no-code development platform for building voice applications. The platform allows users to design, prototype and build Alexa Skills and Google Actions without the need to code. As of April 2019, the platform has over 7,500 users and 250 published voice apps.[1] The company has around 30 employees and is headquartered at 372 Richmond St W in Toronto, Canada.[2]

History

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Origin

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Voiceflow was founded by Braden Ream, Tyler Han, Michael Hood, and Andrew Lawrence in August 2018.[3] The original plan for Voiceflow was to build a voice application for interactive children's stories on Amazon Alexa. However, during the development process the team ran into difficulty with scalability, which led to the development of an internal drag-and-drop development tool. The tool was later leaked to the public and received positive traction.[4] Shortly after the leak, the Voiceflow team pivoted their idea to a no-code drag-and-drop voice development platform.

Funding Rounds

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In October 2018 Voiceflow raised $500,000 in initial seed funding led by Ripple Ventures.[5] The funding is said to have been used for enterprise scaling and hiring.[6]

In April 2019 the company raised $3 million in seed funding led by True Ventures in San Francisco.[7] Notable investors include InVision founder Clark Valberg, Eventbrite founders Julia and Kevin Hartz, and ProductHunt founder Ryan Hoover.[8]

Product

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How It Works

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Voiceflow's working interface is a flowchart that contains a menu of building blocks.[9] Each block can be assigned one of 11 attribute types: Speak, Stream, Choice, Command, Comment, Random, Set, If, Capture, Flow, or API.[10] Blocks are dragged onto the working UI and then connected to one another to create a "flow" or directive. Flows can be combined together and then published directly to a user's smart device as an app via the upload button. On April 2019, error logs were added to the Voiceflow interface, allowing users to access error messages from their flows.[11]

Speak Block
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The Speak Block allows the programmer to control the output speech of their flow. Users are able to enter the desired speech output and tone of voice for the smart speaker during execution.[12]

Stream Block
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The Stream Block enables the programer to control the playing of long high quality sounds such as a video clip or song of around 90 to 240 seconds.[13]

Choice Block
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The Choice Block allows the programmer to pre-define a list of choices and their outcomes. During execution users will be able to say choices determined by the pre-defined choice list. If a valid choice is selected, an outcome following that choice path decision will occur. If the user says something that is not listed, the application will follow a defaulted ELSE path.[14]

Command Block
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The Command Block allows the programmer to call and execute a subroutine. After the subroutine has finished running it will return back to the calling flow.[15]

Comment Block
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The Comment Block allows the programmer to leave notes and comments.[16]

Random Block
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The Random Block allows the programmer to specify a random path that the executing flow will follow.[17]

Set Block
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The Set Block allows the programmer to assign a value to a variable. After the variable is declared, its value is stored and can be used in all subsequent flows.[18]

If Block
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The If Block checks to see if a certain condition is met. If the flow meets the specified condition, the flow will execute down the corresponding path. If the flow does not meet a condition if will follow down a defaulted ELSE path.[19]

Capture Block
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The Capture Block will capture and save user responses. The captured data can then be used in all subsequent flows.[20]

Flow Block
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The Flow Block will create a new flow for the programmer. A flow is similar to a class in traditional objected orientated programming. Flows are combined together to form a Voiceflow app.[21]

API Block
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The API Block allows programmers to call an external service and query information back. The information can then be used in subsequent flows.[22]

Offerings

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Voiceflow currently has 3 offerings[23]:

  • Voiceflow for Alexa Skills
  • Voiceflow for Google Actions
  • Voiceflow for IVR

References

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  1. ^ "Voiceflow, which allows anyone to make voice apps without coding, raises $3.5 million". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2020-03-20.
  2. ^ "Voiceflow Company Overview". craft.co. Retrieved March 20, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. ^ "Bedtime stories led to helping companies program for Alexa". Retrieved 2020-03-20.
  4. ^ "Bedtime stories led to helping companies program for Alexa". Retrieved 2020-03-20.
  5. ^ "Storyflow raises $500,000 for voice app entertainment platform". BetaKit. 2018-10-10. Retrieved 2020-03-20.
  6. ^ "Storyflow raises $500,000 for voice app entertainment platform". BetaKit. 2018-10-10. Retrieved 2020-03-20.
  7. ^ Ream, Braden (2019-08-13). "Voiceflow raises $3.5 million to build the future of voice interface creation". Medium. Retrieved 2020-03-20.
  8. ^ Ream, Braden (2019-08-13). "Voiceflow raises $3.5 million to build the future of voice interface creation". Medium. Retrieved 2020-03-20.
  9. ^ "Voiceflow | Design, prototype, and build voice apps". www.voiceflow.com. Retrieved 2020-03-20.
  10. ^ Ream, Braden (Nov 26, 2018). "How to build an Alexa Skill in 5-minutes or less". Youtube. Retrieved Mar 20, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  11. ^ "Voiceflow | Design, prototype, and build voice apps". www.voiceflow.com. Retrieved 2020-03-20.
  12. ^ Ream, Braden (Jan 5, 2019). "Voiceflow blocks: Speak block". Youtube. Retrieved Mar 20, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  13. ^ Ream, Braden (Jan 5, 2019). "Voiceflow blocks: Stream block". Retrieved Mar 20, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  14. ^ "Choice block". docs.voiceflow.com. Retrieved 2020-03-20.
  15. ^ Ream, Braden (Jan 5, 2019). "Voiceflow blocks: Command block". Youtube. Retrieved Mar 20, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  16. ^ Ream, Braden (Jan 12, 2019). "Voiceflow blocks: Comment block". Retrieved Mar 20, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  17. ^ Ream, Braden (Jan 5, 2019). "Voiceflow blocks: Random block". Youtube. Retrieved Mar 20, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  18. ^ Ream, Braden (Jan 5, 2019). "Voiceflow blocks: Set block". Youtube. Retrieved Mar 20, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  19. ^ "IF block". learn.voiceflow.com. Retrieved 2020-03-21.
  20. ^ Ream, Braden (Jan 2, 2019). "Voiceflow blocks: Capture block". Youtube. Retrieved Mar 20, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  21. ^ Ream, Braden (Jan 12, 2019). "Voiceflow blocks: Flow block". Youtube. Retrieved Mar 20, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  22. ^ Ream, Braden (Jan 12, 2019). "Voiceflow blocks: API block". Youtube. Retrieved Mar 20, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  23. ^ "Voiceflow Offerings". Retrieved Mar 20, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
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