Walkie-Talkie Raises $3.25M to Expand Global Social Audio Platform

Walkie-Talkie Secures $3.25 Million Seed Funding

Picslo Corp, the developer of the social audio platform Walkie-talkie, has successfully completed a $3.25 million seed funding round. Heroic Ventures spearheaded the investment. Several other firms participated, including TI Platform Ventures, LDVP, Partech, Diaspora Ventures, Breega, and Kima Ventures.

The Walkie-talkie application, reminiscent of Clubhouse, was initially launched two years ago. Currently, it boasts a user base of 1.2 million active individuals.

Founding and Origins

Stephane Giraudie, CEO of Picslo Corp, previously established VoIP web conferencing software, Voxeet. This company was subsequently acquired by Dolby and formed the foundation for Dolby.io.

Giraudie explained to TechCrunch that Walkie-talkie originated as a side project undertaken by two former Voxeet engineers: Corentin Larroque and Valentin Martin. He joined the project after they offered Walkie-talkie for sale, observing substantial organic growth across multiple nations.

The Appeal of Authentic Audio

“Our team possesses extensive experience in developing communication applications,” Giraudie stated. “We also recognized the resurgence of audio, particularly with Gen Z, and the growing trend towards anti-social networking.”

He continued, “Platforms like Instagram emphasize curated images and appearances. Walkie-talkie, however, offers anonymity and the freedom to be authentic without fear of judgment.”

Frequencies and Discovery

Walkie-talkie utilizes “frequencies” – audio rooms that can be either public or private. Private frequencies facilitate secure conversations among friends.

Public frequencies host discussions on diverse topics, connecting users globally. Recently, the company introduced a scanning feature, mirroring radio functionality, allowing users to browse live audio rooms and find content aligned with their interests.

Differentiating from Clubhouse

When comparing Walkie-talkie to Clubhouse, Giraudie highlighted key differences. Clubhouse caters to an older demographic and maintains a more curated environment.

Walkie-talkie, conversely, targets younger adults with a less structured format. A significant portion of its user acquisition stemmed from organic discovery through TikTok videos.

Future Development and Investment

The recent investment will be allocated to expanding the company’s global presence. Furthermore, it will fund the development of new features focused on discovery, monetization, and analytics for audio creators.

Plans include scaling the product, engineering, and operations teams. The company intends to leverage technology developed in collaboration with Dolby to enhance creator discovery.

“We are developing programs to support influencers and create new experiences that build upon existing app usage,” Giraudie added.

The Social Audio Landscape

This seed round arrives as social audio applications have gained prominence, particularly during the pandemic. Clubhouse’s success prompted major social media companies, including Twitter and Facebook, to introduce competing live audio features.

As in-person events resume, these platforms are focused on retaining users through feature enhancements and increased accessibility.

Twitter now allows users to share direct links to Spaces audio rooms, enabling web access without requiring platform login. Clubhouse has expanded its offerings to include asynchronous listening options like clips, replays, and audio exports.

Walkie-Talkie’s Vision

Giraudie envisions Walkie-talkie as a distinct social audio platform poised for substantial growth.

“We’re witnessing the emergence of a compelling social network. Walkie-talkie is more than just a communication tool; it’s a place where people forge new friendships and spend increasing amounts of time. Our priority is ensuring a positive user experience,” he concluded.