Marc Ladin, Founder of VoicePunch Talks About Venture Capital Investments in the Voice Industry (Episode 182)
Welcome Marc Ladin
Marc Ladin is the founder and general manager of VoicePunch. VoicePunch is an early-stage venture firm that invests in voice AI and audio tech startups.
What Was the Mission of VoicePunch?
Marc started VoicePunch in 2019 and the mission of VoicePunch is to support and help entrepreneurs with capital and other support resources in the voice AI and audio space.
Marc shared that the whole connected home and smart home industry sales started taking off around then because of Amazon Alexa. Marc started to wonder that if you could control lights with your voice, and what other technology could you control? Marc believed that in the future they would be able to interface with all forms of technology utilizing voice.
What Type of Things Has Marc Invested in When it Comes to the Voice Industry?
Marc shared that he is looking at the intersection of NLU and verticalization of NLU’s.
Marc mentioned the importance of having verticalization and tailored use models that focus on specific case uses where the recognition and colour language is consistent.
Marc is looking at the augmentation of voice experiences by enhancing them to be more rich experiences. An example would be adding game packs for a communication chat.
Why Marc Loves Colorcast?
Marc invested in a company called Colorcast. Colorcast unbundled the video feed from the audio feed, and this is great because people don’t always relate to the sportscaster.
Marc believes that the right infrastructure is core when it comes to audio consumption.
Who Can Be a Commentator with Colorcast?
Marc shared that anyone can be a commentator and there is no cost involved. The exciting part is that it allows anyone to be in their own play-by-play commentator. Now everyone can play armchair quarterback.
Where is the Direction of WEB3?
Marc mentioned that the model from WEB2 was centralized in the cloud and now we are moving to decentralized WEB3. Marc believes that when you get more into a pull model, it creates challenges of how to pull the right information and how does commerce fits into this equation.
The problem lies in the paradox of choice, and this is amplified by voice speakers.
Marc shared that the best investment opportunities for them are the ones that fit into some type of investment thesis. Marc also likes to get feedback from other thought leaders in the space.
The Impact of NFTs on the Voice Industry
Marc mentioned that NFTs are creating more channels for the monetization of digital content. It opens new channels and paths for content creators across the board.
NFTs are blowing up in unimaginable ways. Marc stated that we are at the early stages of NFTs, audio content, and platforms, and hopefully that will bring new opportunities to the voice industry.
What Criteria Does Marc Look at When it Comes to Venture Capital Investments?
Marc wants to observe the data and predict lines that go in the directions that they want. What differentiates Marc’s company is that they focus on thesis-driven companies. Marc shared that they look for the racehorse over the race but that they also want to get involved in good races.
Marc shared that they look for startups in spaces that are going to mature in a timeframe that they can earn a good return on.
Connect with Marc Ladin
Visit the VoicePunch website
Follow Marc on Linkedin
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