telli

AI voice agents for outbound and inbound phone calls, built for sales, support, and scheduling teams that need agents which can handle a real conversation, not just follow a script.

VerifiedCustomerEU-BasedNo-Code + API

Founded
2024
Headquarters
Berlin, Germany
Team Size
11-50
Funding Stage
Pre-Seed

Overview

telli is a voice AI platform that puts LLM-powered phone agents on your frontline: handling real customer calls without dialogue trees, rigid scripts, or a human on standby for every interaction.

Founded in Berlin in 2024 by Finn zur Mühlen, Philipp Baumanns, and Seb Hapte-Selassie, telli was built around a specific problem: high-volume B2C call operations where a clunky IVR or a missed follow-up actually costs you customers. The platform covers both directions: outbound campaigns for lead qualification and appointment booking, and inbound lines for support, triage, and scheduling, all managed from one place.

Teams set up agents through a no-code flow builder, or go deeper with the REST API for custom call logic. Most customers connect telli directly to their CRM and calendar so call outcomes sync automatically, with a built-in handoff path to a human agent whenever a conversation needs one. The company is backed by Y Combinator and Cherry Ventures and works with customers across Germany, the UK, Latin America, and the US.

How telli Works

01
STEP 01

Build the agent

Define the call script, objection handling, and escalation rules inside a no-code flow builder, or wire it up directly through the API for fully custom logic.

02
STEP 02

Connect your stack

Link existing telephony numbers, CRM records, and calendars so the agent reads live context before a call and writes outcomes back the moment it ends.

03
STEP 03

Agent handles the call

Speech-to-text, an LLM for reasoning, and text-to-speech work together to hold a natural, interruption-aware conversation in the caller's language.

04
STEP 04

Data flows back

Transcripts, call outcomes, and CRM field updates land automatically in connected systems, with a human handoff trigger for anything outside the agent's scope

Details

Attribute
Information
Supported languages
German, English, French, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Polish, Romanian, Bulgarian, Croatian, Hungarian, Greek, and Swedish, with additional languages in active development. Full list at telli.com.
Call types
Inbound and outbound. Common flows include sales qualification, support triage, appointment scheduling, and survey calls.
Channels
PSTN phone lines and SIP trunking for voice. WhatsApp, Email, and SMS available as companion messaging channels for follow-up workflows.
Integrations
Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive, Cal, and generic webhooks. Full REST API available for custom builds.
Deployment
Cloud-hosted, multi-tenant by default. Dedicated and VPC deployment available on enterprise plans.
Pricing model
Per-minute usage plus a flat monthly platform fee. Volume-based discounts apply above enterprise call thresholds.
Latency
Capable of sub-second response times under optimized configurations, depending on model and telephony stack.
Security & compliance
GDPR-aligned data handling with an EU-only hosting option. SOC 2 Type II currently in progress.

Common Use Cases

Outbound sales teams qualifying leads and booking demo calls without tying up headcount
Support desks handling FAQ-style inbound calls and triaging tickets before they reach a human
Clinics and service businesses confirming, rescheduling, and reminding patients of upcoming bookings
Collections teams running compliant, scripted payment reminder workflows at scale
CX and research teams running structured survey and feedback campaigns over the phone
Recruiting teams pre-screening high-volume applicant pools without manual calling

Platform Evaluation

Platform Strengths

  • Covers both inbound and outbound call workflows on a single platform. Most teams end up needing both, and switching tools mid-stack creates problems
  • Language coverage is genuinely broad at 30+ languages, with clear depth in European markets. Most competitors in this space are US-first and English-heavy
  • The no-code builder is fast enough that non-technical teams can configure and launch a working agent without involving engineering
  • CRM and calendar integrations are native, not bolted on; call outcomes write back automatically, removing a manual step that causes errors in most comparable setups
  • Human handoff is a first-class feature, not an afterthought. The agent transfers with context attached, so the customer doesn't have to repeat themselves

Current Limitations

  • Compared to developer platforms like Vapi or ElevenLabs, telli prioritizes a production-ready, managed solution over giving developers full control to build everything from scratch.
  • Unlike platforms such as Parloa, Regal AI, or Bland, telli is more specialized in AI voice for sales and outbound workflows rather than offering extensive chat, SMS, or customer service channels.
  • Some competitors, such as Fonio AI, can be easier to get started with or more cost-effective for low-volume SMB use cases, while telli is designed for organizations that need a more robust, scalable solution.

Alternatives to telli

Frequently Asked Questions

Simple setups: a single inbound or outbound flow with standard CRM connections, can be live within a few business days. More complex builds involving custom API logic, multi-region routing, or bespoke integrations typically take one to two weeks. The no-code builder moves fast; the bottleneck is usually getting your call logic defined, not the platform itself.

Yes. You can bring your own numbers via SIP trunking or use telli-provided numbers. Both options are supported and switching doesn't require any changes on the customer-facing side.

Some won't realise until told. telli's voice quality is good enough that customers have completed full calls without suspecting it. That said, in most markets disclosure is best practice, and in several jurisdictions it's a legal requirement. telli supports disclosure flows built directly into the agent's opening.

telli has built-in fallback logic. If the agent detects a question it can't answer, an upset caller, or an explicit request for a human, it triggers a warm transfer to your team with a context summary attached. The caller isn't dropped or left waiting while the handoff happens.

No. Call recordings, transcripts, and CRM data stay within your environment. Telli operates on isolated infrastructure, is GDPR-compliant, and offers an EU-only hosting option for customers who need data to stay in Europe.

Yes, both are available on the same platform under the same account. Most customers start with one direction and add the other as they scale. The agent builder, integrations, and analytics work the same way for both.

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