[June 25, 2015] |
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Amazon Introduces the Alexa Fund: $100 Million in Investments to Fuel Voice Technology Innovation
(NASDAQ: AMZN)-Amazon today announced the Alexa Fund, up to $100 million
in investments to support developers, manufacturers, and start-ups of
all sizes who are passionate about creating new experiences designed
around the human voice. The Alexa Fund-named for Alexa, the cloud-based
voice service that powers Amazon Echo-is open to anyone with an
innovative idea for how voice technology can improve customers' lives.
Alexa Fund investment decisions will be made based on the potential for
unique or novel applications of voice technology that leverage the Alexa
Skills Kit or the Alexa Voice Service, which were also announced today.
The Fund launches today with seven initial investments. Learn more and
apply for funding at https://developer.amazon.com/AlexaFund.
"Experiences designed around the human voice will fundamentally improve
the way people use technology," said Jeff Bezos, Amazon.com (News - Alert) Founder and
CEO. "Since introducing Amazon Echo, we've heard from developers,
manufacturers, and start-ups of all sizes who want to innovate with this
new technology. With the Alexa Fund, we want to empower people to
explore the boundaries of voice technology. We're eager to see what they
come up with."
Amazon also today introduced the Alexa Skills Kit (ASK), a collection of
self-service APIs and tools that make it fast and easy for developers to
create new voice-driven skills and capabilities for Alexa. With a few
lines of code, developers can easily integrate existing web services
with Alexa or, in just a few hours, they can build entirely new
experiences designed around voice. For example, an Internet-connected
sprinkler system can integrate its sprinklers with Alexa, so a customer
can say, "Alexa, ask my sprinkler to water my lawn for 15 minutes." Read
the press release: www.amazon.com/ASK.
In addition, Amazon today announced that the Alexa Voice Service (AVS (News - Alert)),
the same service that powers Amazon Echo, is now available to third
party hardware makers who want to integrate Alexa into their devices-for
free. For example, a Wi-Fi alarm clock maker can create an Alexa-enabled
clock radio, so a customer can talk to Alexa as they wake up, asking
"What's the weather today?" or "What time is my first meeting?" Read the
press release: www.amazon.com/AVS.
The Alexa Fund is launching with seven initial investments:
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Orange (News - Alert) Chef is a start-up that has created a new product for
the kitchen called "Countertop," a mobile app that connects to an
ecosystem of cooking tools such as blenders and slow cookers to
measure and track ingredients placed into those devices-all powered by
Orange Chef's cloud service nutrition database. Orange Chef sees an
opportunity to usevoice instead of a phone app in recognition of the
fact that cooking can be messy and is often a two-handed operation.
For example, customers can use Echo or another Alexa-enabled device
while using a blender to ask "Alexa, how many calories are in this
smoothie?" or, with a slow cooker, a customer can ask "Alexa, how much
more barbeque sauce do I need to add to the pulled pork?"
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Scout Alarm is a do-it-yourself home security system provider
and connected security device maker. The Scout system includes a hub,
entry sensors, motion detectors and a smartphone companion app. Now,
Scout is using the Alexa Skills Kit to enable customers to tell Echo
or another Alexa-enabled device "Alexa, arm Sleep Mode" before going
to bed or ask, "Alexa, what were the last five events?" from the
comfort of the couch. With Alexa and Scout, there's no need to fumble
for a control panel or app to quickly turn off the alarm-just ask
Alexa.
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Garageio provides a system to control and to monitor the status
of a garage door from anywhere. Garageio's product-the Blackbox-is
designed to be simple to install and fits onto existing garage door
openers. The Blackbox then connects to the garage door via the home's
Wi-Fi network, and an associated smartphone app gives users control of
the garage door from anywhere. Using the Alexa Skills Kit, Garageio is
adding capabilities to Alexa that help a customer quickly find out if
their garage door is open or if the alarm is set. For example, before
falling asleep many homeowners think through whether the doors are all
locked, the windows are all shut, and the garage door is closed-if
they can't remember, they have to get out of bed and go check all the
doors manually. Now, all it takes is a quick question to Echo or
another Alexa-enabled device: "Alexa, ask Garageio, is the garage door
open?" If the answer is "yes," just say "Alexa, tell Garageio to close
the garage door."
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Toymail is creating a new category of connected toys that
enable parents and children to communicate without the need for the
child to be using a smartphone or tablet device. Parents can talk to a
child through a toy called the Mailman that has a speaker, a
microphone, and an Internet connection. They simply use the Toymail
mobile app to leave voice messages that are delivered to their child
on the Mailman. Now, with the Alexa Skills Kit, Toymail is enabling a
grandparent to say, "Alexa, send a Toymail for Ben…I love you and
remind your mom I'm bringing dinner over at 5 pm tonight. I can't wait
to see you guys." In addition, Toymail is using the Alexa Voice
Service to add Alexa capabilities to the Mailman-just press a button
on the Mailman to say "Alexa, read a story" for the family to enjoy a
bedtime audiobook together via the toy's speakers.
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Dragon Innovation provides a suite of products and services
that help hardware start-ups and device makers go from "garage to
factory" to make their ideas a reality with a framework that guides
them through all stages of production-from prototype through sales. As
part of the Alexa Fund, Dragon is establishing expertise in using
Alexa Voice Services and the Alexa Skills Kit for new products, and is
committed to thinking "voice-first" when working with their customers
on new products. Dragon is working with clients to add Alexa
capabilities to their devices quickly and easily.
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MARA is an intelligent, voice-based running assistant that
provides performance data and training information during exercise,
serving as a virtual running coach or personal trainer. MARA is using
the Alexa Voice Service and the Alexa Skills Kit to give users easy
access to information about their workouts. For example, ask Echo or
any Alexa-enabled device "Alexa, how many miles have I run so far this
week?" or "What has my average pace been this week?"
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Mojio is a leading provider of connected car solutions. The
company's device connects to a vehicle's OBD-II port and extracts
driving performance, on-board systems status, and other diagnostic
data. Mojio uses the Alexa Skills Kit to enable customers to use Echo
or other Alexa-enabled devices to ask "Alexa, do I need to get gas on
the way to work today?" before leaving home or "Alexa, where is my
daughter driving the car this evening?", giving them the peace of mind
that the car is healthy and the kids are safe.
The Alexa Fund will invest in people and companies with a passion for
how voice can improve the way we interact with everyday technology.
Areas of particular interest include:
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New hardware products for inside or outside the home that would
benefit from Alexa's voice interface.
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New features and functionality for Alexa.
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New contributions to the science behind voice technology, including
text-to-speech, natural language understanding, and automatic speech
recognition.
Innovators selected for funding will receive additional benefits beyond
financial support. With established business and technology expertise,
Amazon will help them take their ideas from concept to the marketplace
by offering tools such as early access to SDK capabilities, hands-on
development support for hardware or software, enhanced marketing support
on Amazon.com, placement at Amazon showcase events, membership in AWS
Activate, and more.
Alexa is the brain behind Amazon Echo, a new category of device designed
around your voice. It is hands-free and always on-ask it for
information, music, news, and weather from across the room and get
results or answers instantly. Alexa is built in the cloud and leverages
AWS to continue to learn and add functionality over time.
To share your idea and apply for an investment from the Alexa Fund,
visit at https://developer.amazon.com/AlexaFund.
About Amazon
Amazon.com opened on the World Wide Web in July 1995. The company is
guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor
focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and
long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized
recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct
Publishing, Kindle, Fire phone, Fire tablets, Fire TV, and Amazon Echo
are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150625005704/en/
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