FundraiseJan 14, 2026, 04:20 UTC

Voice AI Platform Deepgram Hits $1.3B Valuation After $130M Raise

Deepgram has reached unicorn status after raising $130 million in a Series C round led by AVP, valuing the company at $1.3 billion. The funding highlights growing demand for reliable voice AI as more businesses adopt real-time, voice-based interactions with customers. Existing investors also participated, alongside new backers such as Twilio, ServiceNow, SAP and Citi Ventures.

Founded in 2016 by Scott Stephenson, Deepgram was built to solve a common problem with speech technology: it often breaks down in real-world conversations. Its platform provides speech-to-text, text-to-speech and speech-to-speech capabilities designed for live interactions, where speed and accuracy matter. The company says its models can handle interruptions, background noise and continuous dialogue, enabling more natural conversations between people and software.

Deepgram’s technology is used by more than 1,300 organisations, particularly in areas like customer support, voice agents and restaurant drive-thrus. Its models are available through cloud APIs or can be deployed on-premises, giving enterprises flexibility around performance, data control and scale. The company also points to sub-second latency and high “containment” rates, meaning more customer requests can be resolved without human intervention.

The new capital will be used to further develop the platform, expand globally and integrate the recent acquisition of OfOne, which strengthens Deepgram’s position in restaurant and drive-thru voice systems. Looking ahead, the company aims to become a core infrastructure provider for real-time voice AI, betting that voice will move from a frustrating interface to a default way people interact with software and services.

Sources:
TFN
TechCrunch

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