Ukrainian synthetic voice startup Respeecher is achieving success despite facing challenges such as bombs falling on their city and competition from controversial competitors. A new $1 million funding round will allow the company to expand its services to media and gaming clients.

Respeecher gained recognition for replicating iconic voices, such as James Earl Jones for a Star Wars animated show and Edith Piaf for Warner Music. The company has also collaborated with CD Projekt and worked on accent modification.

Respeecher places a strong emphasis on ethics in voice cloning, ensuring permission and compensation for living actors and involving estates or families for deceased actors. The company's focus on ethics has also led to partnerships with organizations like Adobe's Content Authenticity Initiative.

Despite challenges in the midst of war, Respeecher continues to innovate, expanding into synthetic voices for individuals who have lost the ability to speak. The company recently secured a $1 million pre-Series A round with contributions from notable investors.