Berlin-based AI firm telli has successfully closed a $15 million seed funding round, elevating its total capital to $18.5 million. The investment was led by redalpine and will fuel the company's mission to revolutionize business-to-consumer communication. telli develops AI agents that manage interactions across voice, chat, and email for major enterprise clients.
Addressing a Communication Shift
The company's founding vision stems from direct experience scaling the energy unicorn Enpal's sales division. Co-founders Finn zur Mühlen and Philipp Baumanns grew the team from two to 150 people in just one year. This rapid expansion exposed the inherent inefficiencies and friction in traditional customer communication channels.
Most businesses still rely on a fragmented stack of CRMs and call centers, creating operational burdens. As consumers increasingly adopt AI for their own tasks, companies face a challenge to meet them on these new platforms. telli aims to provide the necessary tools for businesses to navigate this evolving communication landscape effectively.
An AI-First Solution
telli provides AI agents that handle end-to-end customer operations, from qualifying leads to resolving support requests. At the core of its platform is "Charlie," an AI coworker that helps teams build, manage, and optimize these agents. This system is designed to work seamlessly across voice, WhatsApp, email, and other digital channels.
The company positions itself as a practical solutions provider rather than a fundamental research lab. Its strategy is to leverage the best underlying AI models available to deliver immediate value to customers. This AI-first architecture allows for greater agility compared to incumbent platforms built around human agents.
Impressive Growth and Investor Confidence
The new funding was led by redalpine, with participation from existing backers Cherry Ventures and Y Combinator. Sebastian Becker of redalpine praised the telli founders as an "exceptionally technical and complementary team." This significant investment underscores strong confidence in the company's leadership and strategic direction.
telli reports impressive traction, including a ninefold year-over-year revenue increase and millions of conversations handled for clients. Its customer roster features prominent enterprises such as Sky, Viessmann, and Vaillant. This market validation was a key factor in securing the substantial seed round just fifteen months after its pre-seed.
With this new capital, telli plans to solidify its presence in Europe before pursuing global expansion. The company is actively hiring for over 15 roles to support its growth in the burgeoning voice AI agent market. telli's blend of operational experience and technical innovation positions it as a significant player in the future of customer communication.