Take Advantage of Voice Technology to Create Value for Your CustomersThe Alexa Incubator Programme gives you the resources and mentorship you need to start building innovative voice apps your customers will love.

By now, most people are familiar with Alexa, Amazon's powerful cloud-based voice service. Amazon says Alexa is available in more than 80 countries and is compatible with more than 140,000 different smart devices.

Indeed, Alexa has proven so useful and helpful, many startups and entrepreneurs are working hard to incorporate voice-enabled technologies using Alexa into their own services, pushing the boundaries of this burgeoning technology. And Amazon wants to help.

That's why it has created the UK'sAlexa Incubator Programme. The goal is to help identify and support startups and voice studios that use the Alexa voice service to create innovative Alexa-enabled experiences, and other firms that use Alexa as a core element of their product.

"Voice technology carries enormous promise, as many people know from their daily interactions with Alexa," says Albert Creixell, Senior Business Development Manager and Program Lead for Alexa Incubator Programme at Amazon Alexa International. "We believe in three areas where Alexa can bring customer delight: using Alexa at home to control smart home-devices such as TVs or appliances, accessing Alexa on-the-go, and last but not least in the workplace."

From now through until end of June 2021, startups are invited to apply to the programme. Those that are selected will be called to partake in Alexa training, receiving one-on-one mentorship from the Alexa team, and to participate in a Demo Day with the Alexa Fund team, which has invested in many companies in the voice tech space.

The programme will look specifically at startups who build hardware products that integrate Alexa Voice Service (AVS), Alexa Skills that deliver new abilities to Alexa-enabled devices through the Alexa Skills Kit (ASK) or other services that expand the utility of Alexa and delight customers.

"In the UK, we have seen great examples of innovation with voice. For example, we have seen creative studios such as Vocala or Vozlabs that have built voice games and experiences for brands that run on Alexa-enabled devices," Creixell says. "Other interesting examples include companies that look at how voice technology will transform the workplaces making it easier to manage meeting rooms or initiate conference calls. I am also a big believer of voice commerce and the convenience to purchase online with one's voice."

To apply today for the UK's Alexa Incubator Programme, fill out theshort form here. From there, a member from the Alexa team will be in touch for additional details.