What Altavo does

Altavo GmbH is a medical device startup founded in 2021 in Dresden, Germany, developing a non-invasive, AI-based voice prosthesis for individuals who have lost their voice. Its primary target is patients who have undergone laryngectomy (removal of the voice box, typically following tumor surgery), with a defined secondary segment of aphonic and severely voice-impaired patients. The company employs 16 people across Dresden and Jena as of early 2026.

The core product, branded "Artificial Voice," combines non-invasive radio-frequency (RF) radar sensing with state-of-the-art deep neural networks to detect and characterize silent articulation movements in the vocal tract and convert them into natural-sounding, personalized speech in real time. The company is conducting clinical feasibility studies with five German university hospitals (University of Leipzig, University Medicine Greifswald, SRH Wald-Klinikum Gera, Municipal Hospital Dresden, and Universitätsklinikum Leipzig) and maintains technology co-development partnerships with TU Dresden's Chair of Speech Technology and Cognitive Systems and its Chair of RF and Photonics Engineering. A multi-sensor extension of the technology is being advanced through the SEMECO-B3/MUSIK consortium, co-funded by the State of Saxony and the European Union.

The business model is pre-commercial and based on future sales of a regulated medical device (hardware plus associated software/prosthetic content), with potential recurring revenue from device support and upgrades. Distribution is planned through clinical referral pathways via ENT clinics and hospital networks. The company is privately held, has raised more than €8 million across a December 2021 seed round led by High-Tech Gründerfonds, a February 2024 €5 million Series A led by OCCIDENT, and a January 2026 €3 million Series A2 co-led by Novalis Biotech and Beteiligungsmanagement Thüringen, and is preparing for commercial launch following clinical and regulatory milestones.

Name

Altavo

Legal name

Altavo GmbH

Website

https://altavo.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Altavo is a Dresden-based medtech startup developing the Artificial Voice, a non-invasive AI-driven voice prosthesis that uses radar sensing and deep neural networks to convert silent articulation into speech for laryngectomy and other voiceless patients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Voice Prosthesis Medical Devices

NAICS

Surgical and Medical Instrument Manufacturing (339112)

SIC

Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus (3841), Orthopedic, Prosthetic & Surgical Appliances & Supplies (3842)

akta.pro primary industry

SaMD – Imaging & Signal Analysis (AI/ML) (HLACANAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Text-to-Speech (TTS) & Voice Synthesis (HDAAAFAB), Assistive Hearing & Communication Access (Captioning, Hearing Support, Transcription) (EDAFAKAC)

Keywords

• Voice prosthesis devices
• Silent speech technology
• Medical speech rehabilitation
• Laryngectomy voice restoration
• AI voice synthesis

Headquarters

HQ city

Dresden

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Artificial Voice Medical Device: Altavo is developing a medical device (Artificial Voice) for voice rehabilitation targeting patients who have undergone laryngectomy and other voiceless individuals. Revenue is expected to be generated through the sale of medical device hardware and associated software/prosthetic products, with potential recurring revenue from device support and upgrades.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Altavo develops the Artificial Voice, an AI-based non-invasive voice prosthesis that uses radio frequency (RF) sensing technology combined with deep neural networks to detect silent articulation movements and convert them into natural-sounding speech in real time. The medical device is primarily designed for laryngectomy patients who have lost their voice due to tumor surgery, with broader applications in speech rehabilitation and human-machine interfaces.

Product overview

Altavo is an artificial voice company developing a single unified product called the Artificial Voice. This AI-based, non-invasive voice prosthesis combines state-of-the-art RF sensing technology with deep neural networks to detect silent articulation movements and convert them into audible, natural-sounding speech in real time. The product is designed primarily for laryngectomy patients who have lost their voice box due to tumor surgery, with potential applications in broader speech rehabilitation and non-medical fields.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Artificial Voice

Quantifiable outcome

• Non-invasive voice prosthesis in development — clinical trials ongoing
• +1 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability5 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• TU Dresden — Chair of Speech Technology and Cognitive SystemscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBroad technology partnership with TU Dresden's Chair of Speech Technology and Cognitive Systems, combining academic expertise in speech processing with Altavo's AI and sensor technology for product development.
• TU Dresden — Chair of Radio Frequency and Photonics EngineeringcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnology partnership with TU Dresden's Chair of Radio Frequency and Photonics Engineering supporting the development of RF sensing technology for the voice prosthesis.
• SEMECO-B3/MUSIK ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe MUSIK project is a multi-sensor non-invasive voice prosthetics initiative using AI, supported by a grant from the State of Saxony and co-funded by the European Union. Focuses on multi-sensor technology, clinical feasibility studies, antenna design, energy management, manufacturing concepts, and QM/regulatory aspects of AI-based medical devices.
• University of Leipzig — Section Phoniatrics and AudiologycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClinical partner led by Prof. Dr. med. Michael Fuchs, providing clinical feasibility studies and patient access for the voice prosthesis development. Located at the Center of Musician Medicine and Cochlea Implant Center.
• University Medicine Greifswald — Department of Phoniatrics and Pediatric AudiologycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClinical partner led by Dr. med. Bernhard Lehnert, Department Head of Phoniatrics and Pediatric Audiology at the ENT department, providing clinical expertise and patient cohorts for the voice prosthesis.
• SRH Wald-Klinikum GeracoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClinical partner led by Prof. Dr. med. Andreas Müller, Head of ENT/Plastic Surgery and expert in laryngology, neurolaryngology, and laryngeal pacing, providing specialized clinical input for laryngectomy patients.
• Municipal Hospital Dresden — Department of ENT, Head and Neck SurgerycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClinical partner led by Prof. Dr. med. Friedemann Pabst, also affiliated with the laboratory for voice research at Dresden College of Music, combining clinical and musicology expertise for voice rehabilitation.
• Universitätsklinikum Leipzig — Clinical Speech ScientistsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerClinical partner represented by Ulrike Sievert, Clinical Speech Scientist, providing speech science expertise and patient interaction capabilities.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• InHealth Technologies: InHealth Technologies manufactures and distributes tracheoesophageal voice prostheses and related consumables for laryngectomy patients, directly competing with Altavo's target user population through clinical channels and ENT specialists.
• Andreas Fahl Medizintechnik: German manufacturer of voice prostheses, tracheostomy tubes, and heat-and-moisture exchangers for laryngectomy patients. Direct competitor in the DACH region across the same clinical specialty and customer base.
• Servona GmbH: Servona develops and supplies voice prostheses, tracheostomy tubes, and laryngectomy care products in Germany and Europe. As a regional incumbent in the same clinical specialty, it competes with Altavo for ENT clinic relationships and laryngectomy patient referrals.
• Atos Medical (Coloplast): Atos Medical is the global market leader in laryngectomy voice and pulmonary rehabilitation, acquired by Coloplast in 2021. It sells the Provox tracheoesophageal voice prosthesis range — the incumbent non-invasive-but-surgical solution Altavo is positioning against.

Emerging players

• SpeechAgain: SpeechAgain applies AI and acoustic analysis to speech therapy and rehabilitation, addressing stuttering and similar disorders. Adjacent to Altavo's broader speech rehabilitation thesis beyond laryngectomy.
• Naqi Logix: Naqi Logix develops a discreet neural earbud that translates subtle facial and jaw microgestures into commands. Comparable as a silent-speech / human-machine interface technology player with potential medtech adjacency.
• Whispp: Dutch AI voice-tech startup that converts whispered and impaired speech into clear, natural-sounding voice in real time. Comparable in applying AI to voice-restoration use cases, though Altavo additionally addresses the laryngectomy cohort via non-audio sensing.
• Sonospeech (ETH Zurich spin-off): ETH Zurich spin-off developing silent-speech interface technology via ultrasound imaging of the tongue. Comparable as an academic-spin-out silent-speech platform targeting hands-free and accessibility applications.
• VocaliD (Veritone Voice): VocaliD pioneered personalized AI voice creation for users who have lost or never had a voice. Comparable as an AI-driven personalized voice platform, though its delivery model is digital voice rather than a non-invasive hardware prosthesis.

Broad incumbents

• OpenAI: OpenAI develops large-scale speech synthesis and generative voice AI (e.g., Voice Engine, TTS APIs). Comparable as a broad incumbent whose rapidly advancing speech synthesis models underpin the AI component of Altavo's offering and could eventually be integrated or commoditized.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors8 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Altavo