JIC Ventures Invests in Elredo Voice for AI Audiobook Production Expansion

JIC Ventures has led an investment round in Elredo Voice, a Czech startup that specializes in AI-driven audiobook production, securing over €1 million to expand its operations into the United States. This move targets the concentration of global publishers located there.

Elredo Voice provides a comprehensive infrastructure for producing and distributing audiobooks, significantly reducing both production costs and timelines while simplifying localization. This innovation allows publishers to produce titles that were previously unfeasible under traditional methods, including audio versions of historical back catalogs. Radim Kocourek, spokesperson for JIC Ventures, highlighted the rapid growth of the audiobook market and noted Elredo Voice’s unique approach to quality and distribution.

The investment round included contributions from Jiří Hlavenka, the Central Bohemian Innovation Centre, and Sweden's Bond Ventures. Current investors, such as Petr Sochora and Petr Bláha, also reaffirmed their support. Additionally, Elredo Voice received a €200,000 grant from the CzechInvest Technology Incubation program.

According to Matt Schmalz, the founder and CEO of Elredo Voice, the funding will expedite their production capabilities and assist in addressing the increasing demand for audiobooks. The company, which launched in 2023 with a consumer app, aims to help publishers tackle technological challenges in audiobook production.

Elredo Voice already collaborates with notable international publishers, including Wiley and HarperCollins, as well as local entities like Albatros Media and Euromedia Group. The new capital will enable the company to enhance its commercial development and further penetrate the US market.

Miloš Sochor, Managing Partner at JIC Ventures, emphasized the importance of the founder's vision and drive, which has opened doors with publishers in the US and UK. Elredo Voice is also looking to expand into Arabic-speaking regions.

Currently, Elredo Voice services over 160 global sales channels and is capable of producing hundreds of audiobooks each month, targeting a future capacity of up to 1,000 titles monthly. JIC Ventures, having launched in April 2026, aims to support about twenty early-stage technology startups in Central and Eastern Europe.