VoiceVibes

VoiceVibes, founded in 2012 by Debra Cancro, developed an AI-powered platform for communication coaching before being acquired by Bigtincan in January 2021 for $2 million. The company originated in Baltimore, Maryland, and was supported by entities including angel investors and TEDCO. The founder, Debra Cancro, leveraged over 15 years of technical and marketing experience from roles at AT&T Bell Labs and Broadcom Corp, and even holds a patent for detecting condescending speech, to create the company. The inspiration stemmed from her work at a previous startup, Autonomy Engine, and a desire to apply voice analytics to improve communication effectiveness.

The firm's core business revolves around a cloud-based software that provides objective, immediate feedback on verbal communication. It primarily serves clients in sectors such as sales enablement, corporate training, and higher education, with customers that have included institutions like Johns Hopkins University and Ohio State University. The business model is subscription-based, offering its analytics software to help professionals practice and enhance their speaking skills in a private setting.

VoiceVibes' platform analyzes speech recordings to give users insights into how an audience would likely perceive them. Its patented technology, built upon a vast dataset of human perception ratings, measures up to 20 distinct vocal characteristics, or "vibes," such as confidence, authenticity, and clarity. The software provides automated feedback on metrics like pace, filler words (e.g., "um"/"uh"), and upspeak, offering personalized coaching tips to help users sound more polished. A key differentiator is its predictive accuracy; an independent study by Towson University found the platform predicted audience perception with over 90% accuracy across all measured vibes. The tool was designed to integrate with platforms like Zoom, allowing users to analyze their meeting recordings and improve their performance in virtual settings.

Keywords: voice analytics, communication coaching, sales enablement, speech coaching software, AI coaching, presentation skills, public speaking practice, verbal communication, vocal delivery, sales training tool, automated feedback, pitch practice, Bigtincan, Debra Cancro, conversation intelligence, soft skills training, corporate training, leadership development, emotion detection, acoustic psychology