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Vivox raises $6.8 million in funding round

IDG Ventures invests in online voice service

Market leading voice services business Vivox has raised equity of $6.8 million in a funding round led by venture capital firm IDG Ventures.

The company provides a managed voice network for use with PC, games consoles and social networks such as Facebook.

Its clients and partners include EA, Gaia Online, NCsoft, Realtime Worlds, Sony Online Entertainment and Wizards of the Coast.

The third round of equity financing was led by IDG Ventures, with follow-on investment from Benchmark Capital, Canaan Partners and GrandBanks Capital.

"Vivox has proven the community building value and revenue potential of voice in online activities, enabling millions of people to connect with one another - whether in a multiplayer game, in a virtual world or on Facebook. With its strong team, pioneering technology and aggressive market stance, Vivox is a perfect addition to the IDG Ventures portfolio," said Phil Sanderson, managing director of IDG Ventures, San Francisco and also newly appointed Vivox board member.

"Through the IDG group of companies, we have an unparalleled combination of insight and analysis into the most important trends in the digital age. Voice is the key ingredient missing from a huge range of online experiences, and Vivox has proven itself able to provide mission-critical voice and exceptional service to leading companies around the world."

"By delivering billions of minutes of voice per month to millions of users, we have seen first-hand how voice improves online communities," added Rob Seaver, founder and CEO of Vivox.

"The web is increasingly social, and talking to each other is how we, as humans, interact. Voice is an essential part of the explosive growth of the social web. This fundamental trend translates into an immense opportunity for Vivox. With the support of IDG Ventures and our other investors, we will continue to innovate for our customers and make voice part of more and more shared experiences online."