Roger Talk

Roger Talk was an asynchronous voice messaging application developed with the objective of simplifying voice communication. The company was founded by Ricardo Vice Santos, who was inspired to create the platform after a frustrating experience trying to communicate with a friend in Sweden from Manhattan. This personal challenge with international calls, combined with a desire for more genuine connection than social networks offered, led him to leave his position as the new markets growth lead at Spotify to establish Roger.

The company's core product was a mobile app for iOS and Android that functioned like a modern walkie-talkie. Users could simply tap on a contact's name to record and send a voice message of unlimited length, and the recipient could tap to listen and reply. A key feature was its ability to function offline, allowing messages to be sent and received without an immediate internet connection. The platform was designed to feel more personal and nuanced than text messaging while offering more convenience than traditional, synchronous phone calls. In early 2016, Roger Talk announced a $1 million seed funding round led by Social Capital, with participation from several current and former Spotify executives. This investment was intended to fuel the development of their voice communication platform.

Later in 2016, the company evolved its offering into the Roger Voice Platform, expanding its functionality beyond simple person-to-person communication. This platform integrated with other popular services, allowing users to interact with Amazon Alexa, Dropbox, and Slack via voice commands through the Roger app. For instance, users could check the weather or control smart home devices on the go, effectively turning their smartphone into a portable Amazon Echo. The platform also introduced a feature to convert missed or rejected phone calls into Roger conversations, providing a more interactive alternative to traditional voicemail. The service was free and aimed to make voice a ubiquitous medium for interaction.

Keywords: asynchronous communication, voice messaging, walkie-talkie app, Ricardo Vice Santos, Social Capital, Spotify, voice platform, Slack integration, Amazon Alexa integration, voicemail alternative, mobile communication, offline messaging, tap-to-talk, audio messaging, simple communication, international calls, voice technology, seed funding