Telcentris, the maker of “unified communications” app VoxOx, says it has raised $5.3 million in its first institutional funding.
The VoxOx desktop and iPhone apps combine features like VoIP calling, texting, chatting, and faxing; aggregate contact info from Facebook, Twitter, and elsewhere; and offer Google Voice-style support for calling multiple phones with one number. Back in 2008, TechCrunch old-timer John Biggs described it as “not a Skype killer, but close.”
We haven’t heard much from VoxOx recently, but a spokesperson said that’s because 2012 was a “stealth” year on the consumer side, while the company focused on its VoxOx In Business suite. (Telcentris declined to reveal customer or user numbers for either the consumer or enterprise side of its business.)
The new funding comes from SBD Global Fund and will be used to support international growth among other initiatives. It’s part of an open round of up to $40 million that’s being facilitated by investment banking advisory firm Pepperwood Partners. Until now, Telcentris has been funded entirely by angel investors, plus friends and family funding. Nonetheless, it’s actually raised a total of $33 million (including the new round).
“In the few years that VoxOx has been on the market, we’ve gained notable traction around the world, and now it’s time for us to address our global audience in a much bigger way,” said CEO Bryan Hertz in a press release.