Whispp Raises $5.4M for Voice Reconstruction AI

Jan de Vries · 2026-07-07

### A Big Leap for Voice AI Whispp, an AI startup based in Leiden, just raised about $5.4 million to bring its voice reconstruction tech to the world. This isn't your average noise-canceling software. It's something much more personal. The round was led by LUMO Labs, with help from strategic angel investors and a boost from the European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator. That's a solid vote of confidence from both private and public backers. ### What Makes Whispp Different? Most speech enhancement tools focus on cleaning up audio. You know, removing background chatter or wind noise. Whispp goes way beyond that. - **It reconstructs lost speech.** Using AI, it rebuilds the natural characteristics of a person's voice. - **It works in real time.** No waiting for processing. The tech runs on the device itself. - **It supports any language.** Whispered speech gets converted into a clear, natural version that sounds like the speaker's original voice. Think about what that means for someone with a voice impairment. They can whisper into their phone, and the person on the other end hears their real voice, clear and confident. It's not just about sound quality. It's about dignity. ### From Whisper to Clear Conversation Founded in 2020 by Joris Castermans and Akash Raj Komarlu, Whispp started with a clear mission: help people reclaim their voice. The tech turns whispered speech into a person's natural voice, making private calls possible without shouting or straining. "With this funding round, we make a giant leap towards global implementation of our technology with mobile and PC OEMs," said Castermans. He's not wrong. The company is now targeting partnerships with big device makers and semiconductor companies. ### Why This Matters for OEMs For phone and PC manufacturers, Whispp offers a way to stand out. Imagine a smartphone that can turn a whisper into a crystal-clear call. That's a feature people would actually pay for. The company's AI integrates directly into devices users already own. No extra hardware. Just smarter software that makes everyday communication better. ### What's Next for Whispp? The funding will fuel several big moves: - **More patents.** They're building a moat around their IP. - **Better AI models.** Continuous improvements to make the voice reconstruction even more natural. - **New products.** Likely aimed at both consumers and enterprise. - **Expanded team.** They're hiring for management roles to handle the growth. - **More partnerships.** Expect deals with global device manufacturers and chipmakers. Earlier this year, Whispp also snagged a $2.7 million grant from the EIC Accelerator, with a promise of more equity investment down the line. That's on top of the $810,000 seed round they closed in January 2024, also led by LUMO Labs. ### A Broader Vision Andy Lurling, Founding Partner at LUMO Labs, put it well: "We initially invested in Whispp because of its mission to help people reclaim their voice. Since then, it has become clear that the technology can address a much broader challenge: revolutionising the quality and accessibility of digital communication." That's the real story here. Whispp isn't just building a cool feature. They're reshaping how we think about voice in a world where AI is changing everything. Communication should be effective, seamless, and inclusive. Whispp is making that happen, one whisper at a time.