The rapid adoption of smart speakers and other voice-enabled devices such as Amazon.com Inc.’s Echo has created a new channel through which companies can engage consumers. Pulse Labs Inc., a Seattle-based startup focused on unlocking this opportunity, today announced the completion of a $2.5 million funding round.

Madrona Venture Group led the investment. It was joined by Techstars Ventures, Amazon’s Alexa Fund and Bezos Expeditions, the personal venture capital fund of Jeff Bezos.

The retail giant’s participation in the round is doubly notable because it’s the biggest player in the smart speaker market. As a result, the investment amounts to a major endorsement of Pulse Labs.

The startup operates a platform that connects companies developing voice apps with beta testers who can point out ways to improve the user experience. A retailer planning to launch a product finding tool in multiple countries, for example, might wish to recruit users from each target region. According to TechCrunch, Pulse Labs works with market research firms to assemble test groups that fit the bill.

The startup provides a browser-based interface that enables participants to quickly try out different features of a voice app. Brands can use a built-in surveying tool to collect feedback during testing sessions. Pulse Labs said the platform makes it possible to understand subtle factors such as what different users expect from a service and how they interpret automated responses, which are difficult to discern without a sufficiently large test group.

Brands can use the information gleaned by the startup to tailor their voice apps for the target audience’s preferences. There’s a potentially sizable market for Pulse Labs’ platform: Developers have created more than 30,000 “Skills” for Amazon’s Alexa assistant alone. As Amazon continues to ship more devices equipped with the software, the number of brands that decide to jump aboard can be expected to increase as well. 

Pulse Labs said that so far it has assisted with the launch of more than 20 Alexa Skills. The startup plans to add support for Google Home in the coming months, a move that would open another major market. Alphabet Inc. is estimated to have sold more than 6 million smart speakers during the 2017 holiday season alone. 

Image: Amazon