Find Your Voice | English Speaking Confidence - boldvoice

Overcoming Accent Challenges in the United States

Upon arriving in the United States, Anada Lakra and Ilya Usorov encountered difficulties in confidently expressing themselves. Despite possessing a solid understanding of English, they found their accents presented obstacles when attempting to communicate effectively.

Usorov observed the challenges faced by his Russian-born parents, noting how their accent limited their professional prospects. Lakra, a student at Yale University, frequently had to repeat herself to be understood.

The Impact of Accent on Communication

Lakra recalls questioning her ability to articulate her thoughts clearly and whether she would be perceived as impactful due to her accent. She felt her pronunciation hindered her from fully expressing her personality.

This experience resonates with many of the approximately 65 million nonnative English speakers residing in the U.S. Accent perception can affect opportunities in employment, self-assurance, and interpersonal connections.

Introducing BoldVoice: An Accent Coaching Solution

Recognizing this widespread issue, Lakra and Usorov collaborated to develop a solution, ultimately leading to the creation of BoldVoice.

BoldVoice is an accent coaching application designed to assist users in improving their English pronunciation. The startup, based in New York City, is currently participating in the Y Combinator summer 2021 program.

Funding and Future Development

The company has secured a pre-seed funding round of approximately $605,000. This investment comes from both Y Combinator and XFund, supporting the continued development and expansion of the BoldVoice platform.

Here's a breakdown of key features:

• Focus on pronunciation refinement.
• Targeted support for nonnative English speakers.
• Development through the Y Combinator accelerator.
• Financial backing from Y Combinator and XFund.

A New Approach to English Pronunciation

BoldVoice is specifically designed for individuals whose first language isn't English, particularly those who have a strong foundation in written English but require assistance with spoken communication and interaction.

The startup leverages concise video lessons delivered by experienced Hollywood accent coaches. These coaches typically work with actors to refine their speech. The learning framework centers on three key elements: posture, addressing the physical aspects of sounds like the English 'R' compared to a Spanish 'R'; phonology, focusing on vowels and consonants; and porosity, which concerns the rhythm and musicality of an accent.

Currently, the platform features two distinguished Hollywood accent and dialect coaches: Ron Carlos and Eliza Simpson. They bring their expertise to a wider audience.

Mimicking the Actor's Process

“Our approach mirrors how an actor prepares for a role requiring a new accent,” Lakra explained, emphasizing the need for rapid acquisition. “We aim to provide the same rigorous training and methodology to individuals learning at home.”

To achieve this, BoldVoice employs not only Hollywood accent coaches—who are also trained in voice, speech, and dialect—but also incorporates linguistic experts as advisors.

The company intends to integrate artificial intelligence to enhance its offerings. User speech samples will be analyzed by an algorithm, allowing for the delivery of increasingly customized exercises targeting specific areas of weakness.

While currently utilizing open-source software, BoldVoice is actively developing its own proprietary AI algorithm. The ultimate goal is to provide real-time feedback on pronunciation.

Personalized Learning Paths

The onboarding process is straightforward. Users define their goals for accent improvement, detail their English proficiency level, and specify their native language. They also indicate the contexts in which they wish to enhance their speech, such as professional or social environments.

A commitment to 10 minutes of daily pronunciation practice is requested, though users have the option to decline.

Subscription Details and User Base

Access to personalized lesson plans requires a subscription. BoldVoice offers plans at $10 per month or $70 annually, positioning itself as a more affordable alternative to private accent coaching, which can cost upwards of $200 per hour.

Currently, a one-week free trial is the only free access option available.

Since its launch just over a month ago, BoldVoice has gained 1,000 users. The majority originate from India, China, or are native Spanish speakers. The company is concentrating on creating highly tailored content for these primary user groups.

This presents a significant challenge, particularly concerning India, where over 121 languages are spoken by populations exceeding 10,000 people, with 22 languages officially recognized by the Indian constitution.

BoldVoice and the Accent Learning Market

BoldVoice is entering the competitive language learning market at a pivotal moment for the edtech sector. The impending IPO of language learning leader Duolingo is anticipated to positively influence other consumer-focused edtech companies.

The company has already increased its projected IPO price, demonstrating strong investor confidence. Busuu and Babbel are also actively establishing their positions within the language learning space.

A Focus on Accent, Not Just Language

However, Lakra believes that current language learning applications haven't adequately addressed the nuances of accent acquisition. She distinguishes between learning a language – which involves vocabulary and grammar memorization – and mastering an accent, which requires specific mouth and tongue exercises.

BoldVoice concentrates on the latter, an area that appears to be currently underserved by its competitors.

Duolingo's Pronunciation Challenges

Duolingo’s strengths lie in developing reading and writing skills, but publicly available data regarding the effectiveness of its pronunciation training is limited. An earlier attempt to incorporate a conversational chatbot proved unsuccessful.

A significant 80% of users did not engage with the feature, leading CEO Luis von Ahn to acknowledge the difficulty of motivating users to practice spoken language.

Strategic Opportunities

Duolingo is now investing in speech recognition technology and exploring potential mergers and acquisitions. BoldVoice, with its focus on short-form content and user engagement through streaks, could complement Duolingo’s motivational approach by boosting user confidence.

The company’s challenge lies in navigating a sensitive area, as an individual’s voice is deeply connected to their identity. BoldVoice must prioritize assisting users without compromising their unique vocal characteristics.

Expanding Beyond Pronunciation

Lakra is confident in their ability to achieve this balance, continually refining their understanding of user needs. Users have expressed interest in guidance on public speaking, effective interruption techniques, and delivering polite feedback.

These requests highlight a desire to utilize English effectively within professional, English-speaking environments. BoldVoice is collaborating with coaches to develop content that extends beyond pronunciation to encompass cadence, projection, and intonation.

“Our goal is to empower individuals not only to pronounce words correctly, but also to feel assured in their overall communication,” Lakra stated.