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The Alexa Fund

$200 million in investment to fuel voice technology innovation

Contact Us  |  Selection  |  International  |  Portfolio  |  Alexa Accelerator  |  Fellowship

What is the Alexa Fund?

The Alexa Fund provides up to $200 million in venture capital funding to fuel voice technology innovation. We believe experiences designed around the human voice will fundamentally improve the way people use technology. Since introducing Alexa-enabled devices like the Amazon Echo, we’ve heard from developers, device-makers, and companies of all sizes that want to innovate with voice. Whether that’s creating new Alexa capabilities with the Alexa Skills Kit (ASK), building devices that use Alexa for new and novel voice experiences using the Alexa Voice Service (AVS), inventing core voice-enabling technology, or developing a product or service that can expand the boundaries of voice technology, we’d love to talk to you.

Why work with the Alexa Fund?

Beyond financial support, the Alexa Fund builds on Amazon’s track record of helping innovative individuals grow ideas into successful products and businesses. With established business and technology expertise, Amazon can help take your products or services to the marketplace by offering tools such as early access to SDK capabilities, hands-on development support for hardware or software, enhanced marketing support on Amazon.com, placement at Amazon showcase events, membership in AWS Activate, and more.

What types of companies does the Alexa Fund support?

The Alexa Fund is focused on how voice technology can improve customers’ lives — from early-stage pre-revenue companies that are just starting out to established brands. Areas of particular interest include:

  • Hardware products for inside the home, outside the home, or on-the-go that would benefit from the Alexa Voice Service.
  • Skills that deliver new abilities to Alexa-enabled devices through the Alexa Skills Kit.
  • New contributions to the science behind voice technology, including text to speech, natural language understanding, automatic speech recognition, artificial intelligence and hardware component design.

 

The Alexa Fund has made investments in a variety of companies including:

Growing with Alexa’s Global Footprint

In November 2017 we announced up to an additional $100MM in venture capital for the Alexa Fund targeted at international investment opportunities. As Alexa’s capabilities, regional adaptations and languages expand, the increased global focus of the Alexa Fund will support the next wave of companies and entrepreneurs that are building on and for Alexa around the world.

How are companies selected?

Across Amazon we start with the customer and work backward, and our approach for the Alexa Fund is the same. Here are a few specific elements we’re looking for in a potential investment:

  • Customer-centricity — Are you bringing customers new levels of ease and convenience through voice?
  • Innovation — Are you solving hard problems in creative ways for your customer?
  • Leadership — Are you a visionary with the tenacity required to build?
  • Alexa fit — Is there potential for unique or novel applications of voice technology including the Alexa Skills Kit or Alexa Voice Service?
  • Product/Service — Do you have a product or service in market that has a track record of positive customer feedback or a product or service soon to be launched?
  • Funding — Have you raised institutional funding?