Hyper Secures $6.3M to Automate 911 Calls With AI Voice Tech
▼ Summary
– Ben Sanders launched Hyper, an AI voice startup for handling non-emergency 911 calls, after raising a $6.3 million seed round led by Eniac Ventures.
– Sanders’ background in tech, government, and AI, along with his childhood passion for emergency services, inspired Hyper’s creation.
– Hyper aims to reduce strain on 911 operators by managing non-emergency calls, freeing them to focus on life-threatening situations.
– The company differentiates itself by training AI on real 911 calls, supporting multiple languages, and integrating with existing emergency systems.
– Hyper plans to use the funding to scale nationally, hire key roles, and develop new products to improve emergency response efficiency.
Hyper, an AI-powered emergency response startup, has secured $6.3 million in seed funding to revolutionize 911 call handling by automating non-emergency requests. The round was led by Eniac Ventures, with participation from Ripple Ventures, GreatPoint Ventures, and other prominent investors. The company aims to alleviate strain on emergency call centers by filtering routine inquiries through AI voice technology.
Ben Sanders, Hyper’s CEO, has a lifelong passion for public safety, from dressing up as a police officer as a child to later working at the intersection of technology and government. His inspiration for the startup came after reading about his hometown’s struggles with emergency response delays. Recognizing that most 911 calls aren’t actual emergencies, Sanders saw an opportunity to free up critical resources for life-or-death situations.
Partnering with CPO Damian McCabe, Sanders developed Hyper’s AI system to handle non-urgent reports, like noise complaints or lost pets, while instantly escalating genuine emergencies to human operators. “Imagine wasting eight minutes on a barking dog complaint, only to answer a life-threatening call too late,” Sanders explained. The technology not only responds to queries but also texts links, forwards calls, and files reports automatically.
The fundraising process moved swiftly, closing in under two months with oversubscribed interest. Hyper plans to use the capital to expand nationwide, refine integrations with 911 infrastructure, and hire key engineering talent. While competitors like Aurelian exist, Sanders emphasizes Hyper’s exclusive focus on 911 systems, with models trained on real emergency calls and support for multiple languages.
Call center staffing shortages remain a critical challenge, with many struggling to retain workers due to the job’s high stress. Sanders believes Hyper’s solution can ease the burden on dispatchers, “the unsung heroes”, by handling mundane tasks, potentially attracting more professionals to the field. “I couldn’t do their job,” he admitted, “but I can build tools to make it easier, and that’s how we’ll save lives.”
With several call centers already live, Hyper is poised to transform emergency response efficiency, ensuring faster help reaches those who need it most.
(Source: TechCrunch)
