Tomato.ai raises $2.1Mn to enhance AI voice tools for call centers

CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES — AI startup Tomato.ai has raised $2.1 million in a seed funding round to advance its generative AI technologies for improving voice communications.
The funding round was led by Cardumen Capital and Recursive Ventures, with Gaingels joining as a new investor.
Cardumen Capital, known for its focus on early-stage technology ventures, and Recursive Ventures, which invests in U.S. and Israeli startups, reaffirmed their commitment to pioneering solutions by backing Tomato.ai’s vision.
The funding coincides with the launch of the company’s first two products: an AI-powered accent softening tool and a sophisticated noise cancellation feature.
Tomato.ai’s accent softening tool for call centers
Tomato.ai’s flagship offering is an AI-powered accent softening tool designed for call center agents.
The tool, installed locally on a PC or device, integrates with popular communication apps like Zoom, Teams, and Meet. It uses proprietary AI models to generate less accented speech in real-time without completely removing the speaker’s accent, preserving the integrity of their unique voice.
“Even without any linguistic barriers, providing a great customer experience can be extremely stressful. Clarity is essential in these environments and accents can present obstacles, especially during critical or stressful moments,” said Ofer Ronen, co-founder and CEO of Tomato.ai.
Noise cancellation for clearer voice communications
In addition to the accent softening tool, Tomato.ai has also launched a noise cancellation feature that uses generative AI to recreate the speaker’s voice while eliminating background noise.
The company claims this solution is more effective than other software-based denoisers and denoising headsets.
“It also works exceptionally well at removing other voices and music for customers on the other end — even if the sound to remove is right next to the main speaker,” Ronen added.
Tomato.ai plans to deploy its accent softening tools in partnership with multiple global call centers in the Philippines, India, and Pakistan, while its noise cancellation tools will be deployed more broadly in call centers globally.
Boosting call center performance and customer satisfaction
The startup aims to boost the performance of call center agents, improve customer satisfaction and retention rates, and facilitate better interactions overall.
For enterprises, Tomato.ai’s tools are particularly promising as they can bridge the performance gap between onshore and offshore call center agents, easing frustrations for customers.