Nicholas Leonard and Derek Caneja wanted to build AI voice agents, but they identified design flaws in the existing landscape. They observed that many agents were built with no-code tools, which allowed for fast production but often resulted in low-quality products. Conversely, other agents were created by companies with the resources to spend months building specialized tools. Leonard explained that developers and enterprises needed an alternative. He and Caneja also believed the future of software would be shaped by agents that code, validate, and optimize. These insights inspired them to launch VoiceRun, with Leonard as CEO and Caneja as CTO.
VoiceRun is a platform that lets developers and coding assistants launch and scale voice agents. While many low-code platforms rely on visual diagrams and prompt boxes to dictate conversation flows, Leonard noted this approach can be hard to manage. VoiceRun offers a different path by allowing users to code their agent’s behavior directly, providing greater flexibility. Leonard explained that code is the native language for coding agents, enabling them to operate more effectively than within a visual interface. Visual tools have limited configuration options, making it difficult to implement specific features, like having an agent speak in a different dialect. In code, however, such tasks become incredibly simple. There are countless small customizations that a visual interface simply cannot support.
Beyond enabling coding agents, VoiceRun allows for instant one-click deployment and A/B testing. The platform targets enterprise developers, helping companies integrate AI into customer service or launch voice-based products. For instance, VoiceRun is working with a restaurant-tech company to create an AI phone concierge for food reservations. The company recently announced a $5.5 million seed funding round led by Flybridge Capital.
The AI agent space is highly competitive, with startups securing significant funding. Leonard positions VoiceRun between two market extremes: no-code builders for quick demos and sophisticated tools offering maximum developer control. VoiceRun provides global voice infrastructure and an evaluation-driven lifecycle while allowing customers to retain ownership of their business logic code and data. The key difference, according to Leonard, is closing the loop for end-to-end coding agent development, where developers supervise agents that write code, run tests, deploy, and propose improvements.
Leonard hopes his product will help improve public comfort with automated voices. Currently, customers often feel relief when a human answers the phone, as existing voice automation can be brittle. A recent survey indicated that three-fourths of consumers still prefer human customer service agents. Leonard aims to change this perception by addressing human limitations, such as language barriers or judgment. He draws a parallel to automotive history, stating that while there were great cars before the Model T, vehicles only became ubiquitous with the assembly line. Similarly, great voice agents exist today, but they will not become ubiquitous until the voice agent factory is built. Leonard believes VoiceRun is that factory.