TuVox

About TuVox

Founded in 2000 by Steve Pollock and Ashok Khosla, both formerly of Apple Computer Corporation and Claris Corporation, TuVox established itself as a provider of on-demand Interactive Voice Response (IVR) and speech self-service solutions. The company was headquartered in Cupertino, California, and catered to enterprise clients across a wide array of sectors, including telecommunications, financial services, healthcare, retail, and travel.

TuVox's business model centered on providing hosted and managed automated customer contact solutions, designed to replace traditional DTMF touch-tone systems with more sophisticated speech-recognition applications. The company developed proprietary tools and utilized VoiceXML and Eclipse-based development techniques to create automated IVR solutions that aimed for a more human-like interaction. Its offerings included natural language call routing, customer support triage, and solutions that could integrate with live agents. Revenue was generated through these on-demand hosting services, managed services, design, development, CTI integration, and support.

Throughout its operation, TuVox achieved several key milestones. In September 2005, the company expanded its client base by acquiring the hosted speech application business and customers of NetByTel. The firm successfully raised a total of $46.2 million over four funding rounds, with notable investors including Adobe Ventures, Foundation Capital, Granite Ventures, and Norwest Venture Partners. A significant Series D funding round in December 2007 raised $20 million. After a decade of operation, TuVox was acquired by West Interactive, a subsidiary of West Corporation, in a deal announced on July 22, 2010, marking its exit as an acquired entity.