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§ Private Profile · Seattle, WA, USA
Novel Effect is a technology company.
Novel Effect develops a voice-interactive storytelling application, enhancing the read-aloud experience. Its core product leverages advanced speech recognition, dynamically synchronizing music, sound effects, and character voices as users read physical books. This innovative approach creates an immersive audio landscape, responding to the reader’s pace, transforming traditional story time into a more engaging event. The technology provides a unique auditory layer to existing print literature.
Co-founded by Matthew and Melissa Hammersley, Novel Effect launched July 29, 2015. The idea sparked from Matt's observation of animated storytelling while anticipating their first child. Combining Melissa's visual design and children's book passion with Matthew's voice recognition expertise, they developed a successful prototype for interactive reading. This foundational insight into enhancing shared reading experiences drove the company's inception.
Novel Effect serves families, educators, and public libraries, enriching children's literacy. Its mission inspires consistent read-alouds, fostering social, emotional, and cognitive growth. The company’s vision empowers adults to create memorable story times, cultivate a love of reading, and strengthen foundational literacy skills, ensuring shared reading remains a cherished activity. They aim to make every story time magical and impactful.
Novel Effect has raised $3.1M across 2 funding rounds.
Novel Effect has raised $3.1M in total across 2 funding rounds.
# Novel Effect: Voice-Driven Interactive Storytelling
Novel Effect is an educational technology company that enhances children's reading experiences through voice-activated interactive soundscapes.[1][4] Founded in 2015 by married couple Matthew and Melissa Hammersley, the Seattle-based startup has built the only app that combines children's storybooks with speech recognition technology, layering interactive music and sound effects that respond in real-time as adults read aloud.[3][4]
The company serves a broad ecosystem of stakeholders—parents, educators, and public libraries—all seeking to deepen engagement with physical books in an increasingly digital world.[2] Novel Effect's core mission is to "encourage children's social, emotional, and cognitive growth by inspiring kids and grown-ups to read aloud together more consistently."[3] Rather than replacing traditional reading, the app runs in the background while users read from print books, adding an immersive audio layer that makes storytime more engaging and magical.[1]
The idea for Novel Effect emerged organically from lived experience. Matt Hammersley, an engineer working on voice recognition technology, and Melissa Hammersley, a visual designer passionate about children's books, conceived the concept while preparing for their first child.[3][4] The spark came when Matt observed a friend reading aloud to a young child while adding silly voices and sound effects—the child laughed and begged for more books. Struck by this moment of magic, the couple built a prototype leveraging their complementary skills.[4]
Their commitment to the vision was profound: they sold their home and moved across the country to bootstrap the company.[2] The founders' dedication paid off when Novel Effect was selected for the 2017 Alexa Accelerator powered by Techstars and later appeared on *Shark Tank* Season 9, where they pitched for a $5 million valuation despite having not yet generated revenue.[2] The company has since attracted backing from notable investors including Amazon's Alexa Fund, Lux Capital, Maveron, and others.[1]
Novel Effect operates at the intersection of several powerful trends: the resurgence of interest in early literacy, the integration of voice technology into consumer products, and the growing recognition that technology should enhance rather than replace human connection.
The company rides the wave of voice-first computing—a paradigm shift accelerated by smart speakers and voice assistants.[1] By positioning voice recognition not as a replacement for reading but as an enhancement tool, Novel Effect sidesteps the "screen time" anxiety that plagues many EdTech products. This positioning is particularly valuable as educators and parents increasingly seek technology that supports rather than undermines foundational skills like reading aloud.
The timing is strategic: public libraries, schools, and families are actively seeking solutions to boost reading engagement, particularly post-pandemic. Novel Effect's focus on the $0–8 age group addresses a critical window for literacy development, making it relevant to institutional buyers (schools, libraries) and consumer markets (parents) simultaneously.[2][4]
Novel Effect is well-positioned to expand beyond its core app into a broader "global storytelling experience brand," as the founders have articulated.[5] Near-term priorities include expanding Android availability, opening their in-house soundscape creation tools to educators for STEAM learning integration, and exploring applications in language learning and family entertainment.[5]
The company's trajectory suggests a shift from a single-product EdTech startup toward a platform play—one that empowers educators and creators to build their own voice-interactive content. If executed successfully, this could transform Novel Effect from a consumer app into infrastructure for a new category of interactive storytelling.
The fundamental insight driving Novel Effect remains compelling: in an age of digital saturation, the most powerful educational technology is often the one that gets out of the way and lets humans connect. By making reading aloud more magical rather than more digital, Novel Effect has found a durable niche in the EdTech landscape.
Novel Effect has raised $3.1M across 2 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $3.0M Series A in May 2018.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1, 2018 | $3M Series A | Alpha Edison, Waverley Capital, TenOneTen Ventures | Afore Capital, Altair Capital Management, BoxGroup, Brainchild, Cherry Ventures, Cota Capital, DCM, Giza Polish Ventures, Great Oaks Venture Capital, Jonathan Becker, Luminar Ventures, NEU Venture Capital, NFX, Northzone, Obvious Ventures, Techstars, Vayner RSE, Elad Kushnir, JOE Greenstein, Bill Carr, LUX Capital, Maveron, McCune Capital | Announced |
| Jul 1, 2017 | $100K Seed | — | Founders' Co OP | Announced |
Novel Effect has raised $3.1M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Novel Effect's investors include Alpha Edison, Waverley Capital, TenOneTen Ventures, Afore Capital, Altair Capital Management, BoxGroup, Brainchild, Cherry Ventures, Cota Capital, DCM, Giza Polish Ventures, Great Oaks Venture Capital.