Building a Business Around Voice: Hear From the Trailblazers on What It Takes to Build a Voice-First Business

Over the last four decades, we have seen different paradigm shifts in how we interact with our personal computing. It all started with simple graphical interfaces on desktop machines. That enabled accessing the world wide web, which then paved the way for the mobile phone. In the mid-2010s, we saw another shift and this time towards voice interfaces. With its increasing ubiquity, Amazon Alexa and other AI-based voice services have been integrated into every aspect of our lives. Voice truly is the next major disruption in computing. Soon you will be interacting with computing using your voice not just at home, but also on-the-go, and at workplaces. 

As we shift from smartphones to the age of voice interfaces, an increasing number of businesses are thinking voice-first. This ranges from companies creating Alexa-enabled Bluetooth speakers and smart home devices to startups building experiences that are centered around voice. These companies are the early adopters that see the potential in this space and have a unique story to tell. Sohan Maheshwar, Alexa Evangelist, spoke to these companies to share their insights on what it takes to build a business around voice. 

1. Conversations at the core 

Klove Chef specialises in recipes and leverages culinary AI using conversations. Designed and 

developed in association with Sanjeev Kapoor Recipes, this is a popular Skill in the Alexa Skill store. Deepak Thomas, Chief Marketing Officer at Klove Chef says that building for voice is very different from building for any screen-based device. When building a Skill, it’s imperative to adhere to the principles of voice design and ensure the delivery of voice aligns with the use case. In this video, he offers insight into some of the interesting ways Klove Chef ensures that conversations stay at the core of their user experience. 

2. Voice will be a unified solution for smart devices 

Cosine Labs is a product development company that provides smart living solutions in 

residential, hospitality and commercial buildings. Until recently, users had to control multiple smart devices via separate apps. This proved clunky and cumbersome. A voice interface allows interoperability of all these devices by bringing them onto a single platform, where they can be controlled by simple, intuitive voice commands such as  “Alexa, turn on the lights”. Siddharth Bannerjee, CEO of Cosine Labs, talks about how voice is simplifying the process with a unified solution. 

3. A new interface in consumer appliances 

Sirena Technologies specialises in bringing Alexa to end products for third-parties. Having 

integrated Alexa into consumer electronics like speakers and other home appliances, Hariharan Bojan, CEO, Sirena Technologies talks about how people now want a voice interface in every aspect of their lives. 

4. Voice Gaming: The next frontier 

Gamitronics CEO Rajat Ojha, who is behind the popular Chhota Bheem game, says that India 

has a tradition of ‘voice-based’ games like Antakshari and storytelling. He believes that that voice gaming is poised to be the next frontier and that we are adapting the traditions of the past for the digital world. 

More and more businesses today are adopting voice to better engage with their consumers. Is your business ready to explore this exciting new frontier? For any Alexa related queries and comments, reach the team at

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