Silicon Valley Tech Execs Launch Winter Springs Firm to Battle Facebook, Twitter…
Winter Springs, Fla. — Two former Silicon Valley technology executives have launched a Winter Springs startup with big plans: to steal some thunder from Twitter, Facebook, Yelp, TripAdvisor and other social media outlets so businesses can solve consumer issues ‘in the moment’– before ‘viral’ social media outbursts tarnish a company’s reputation and wreak havoc on future sales.
Deepak Mohan, former senior vice president of Symantec, the $2.5 billion global cyber security company, has teamed up with Michael Ivanov, another Silicon Valley veteran and UCF alumni, to launch ActoVoice, a re-defined “customer engagement platform” that provides a continuous connection between customers and businesses leveraging mobile and cloud technologies.
ActoVoice allows customers to provide live and instant feedback, engage in a conversation, get assistance with products and services as well as complete surveys from their mobile devices. Businesses can delight their customers by providing the next generation customer service experience resulting in increased customer satisfaction scores and revenue.
ActoVoice recently opened offices at the UCF Business Incubation facility in Winter Springs. Mohan said he picked Winter Springs after a nationwide study of potential headquarters sites.
“Winter Springs offers almost all of the amenities you can find in Silicon Valley, but the cost of living here is about one-fourth,” Mohan said. “The technology workforce in Central Florida is also a huge asset. We have the opportunity to recruit from a deep pool of talented software specialists who are already in the area.”
Mohan said UCF’s Business Incubator was also a big draw, and Winter Springs site manager Rafael Camaano sealed the deal. “Rafael is a talented business developer and we realized he would make a perfect partner.”
ActoVoice plans to hire at least 15-20 software professionals before the end of this year to expand services. The ActoVoice software will be widely available later this month via www.actovoice.com.
“Twitter, Facebook, Yelp and other social media outlets are powerful tools,” Ivanov explained, “but are not the right channels for customer service and complaints. In the hands of dissatisfied customers, social media can be a powerful weapon that does more to damage a company’s brand and reputation than solve problems. ActoVoice provides a private and direct channel to customers to help resolve their issues and concerns, converting them in to repeat customers.”
“ActoVoice technology is very powerful and can provide businesses and educational institutions a competitive edge by establishing a deeper connection with their customers,” said Camaano. “I encourage all Central Florida businesses small or large to check it out.”
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For more information contact:
Michael Ivanov, CMO & Co-Founder, ActoVoice, Inc. 321-221-1009 mike.ivanov@ActoVoice.com
www.actovoice.com
Deepak Mohan, CEO & Founder, ActoVoice, Inc. 321-221-1009 deepak.mohan@ActoVoice.com
Rafael Caamano, Associate Director, UCF Business Incubation Program 407-278-4881 Rafael.caamano@ucf.edu
Beth Payan or Larry Vershel, Larry Vershel Communications Inc. 407-644-4142 Lvershelco@aol.com
About the UCF Business Incubation Program
The University of Central Florida Business Incubation Program is a community resource that provides early-stage companies with the tools, training and infrastructure to become financially stable, high growth / impact enterprises. Since 1999, this award-winning program has helped hundreds of local startup companies reach their potential faster by providing vital business development resources.
With seven facilities throughout the region, the UCF Business Incubation Program is an economic development partnership between the University of Central Florida, the Corridor, Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Volusia Counties, and the cities of Apopka, Kissimmee, Orlando and Winter Springs. Participating companies sustain more than 3,600 local jobs and have had a total impact of $1.51 Billion on regional sales and $2.48 Billion on regional economic output. During the last fiscal year, the program has returned $7.95 for every $1.00 invested in the program. Visit www.incubator.ucf.edu
