When was Novel Effect founded?

Novel Effect was founded in 2015 and raised its 1st funding round 1 year after it was founded.

Where is Novel Effect located?

Novel Effect is headquartered in Seattle, United States.

Who is the current CEO of Novel Effect?

Matthew Hammersley of Novel Effect. They have also founded 1 company.

How many employees does Novel Effect have?

As of Apr 30, 2026, the latest employee count at Novel Effect is 21.

Is Novel Effect a funded company?

Novel Effect is a funded company, having raised a total of $4.34M across 6 funding rounds to date. The company's 1st funding round was a $***** Seed round, raised on Feb 22, 2016.

When was the latest funding round of Novel Effect?

Novel Effect's latest funding was a $***** Series A round on May 22, 2018, with participation from 7 investors. Its primary sector is Speech and Voice Recognition. In United States, the Speech and Voice Recognition sector has seen $10.4M in funding in 2026 to date.

Where does Novel Effect rank among its competitors?

Novel Effect ranks 9th amongst 317 active competitors, of which 37 are funded. It stands 7th in terms of total funding among its competitors. The most recent competitor to raise funding was Readmio, which secured $1.18M in Feb, 2026.

Who are the top competitors of Novel Effect?

Novel Effect's top competitors include Epic, Readmio and StoryToys. Among them, Readmio secured the most recent funding round in February, 2026.

Novel Effect - 2026 Company Profile, Team, Funding & Competitors

Novel Effect is a series A company based in Seattle (United States), founded in 2015 by Matthew Hammersley and Melissa Hammersley. It operates as an Interactive read-alouds with music and sound effects for engaging storytime. Novel Effect has raised $4.34M in funding from investors like TenOneTen, Techstars and Right Side Capital Management. The company has 317 active competitors, including 37 funded and 11 that have exited. Its top competitors include companies like Epic, Readmio and StoryToys.

Company Details

Interactive read-alouds with music and sound effects for engaging storytime. It enhances reading experiences with interactive music and sounds that respond to your voice, transforming books into captivating adventures. This innovative approach fosters a love of reading, develops early literacy skills, and ensures enjoyable story times. The company offers a vast library of expertly curated books with custom-designed soundscapes that strengthen fluency, build vocabulary, and increase engagement. It provides solutions for individuals, schools, districts, and public libraries, offering flexible subscription plans and resources. It is a SaaS platform that integrates seamlessly into existing curricula, making reading more fun and effective. It promotes social, emotional, and cognitive growth through the magic of interactive read-alouds. The platform offers features like a mobile app, web access, book activities, read-aloud calendars, and funding resources. It is a B2C and B2B platform with a social impact on literacy.

Website: noveleffect.com
Social

Key Metrics

Founded Year

2015

Location

Seattle, United States

Stage

Series A

Total Funding

$4.34M in 6 rounds

Latest Funding Round

Series A, May 22, 2018, $*****

Investors

TenOneTen & 12 more

Ranked

9^th among 317 active competitors

Employee Count

21 as on Apr 30, 2026

Similar Companies

Epic & 390 more

View Novel Effect's full profile

Novel Effect is associated with 1 legal entity given below:

Legal Entity Name	Date of Incorporation	Revenue	Latest Employee Count	Documents
NOVEL EFFECT, INC. CIN: 5793763 , United States, Active		-	22 (As on Dec 31, 2022)	-

Novel Effect has raised a total funding of $4.34M over 6 rounds. Its first funding round was on Feb 22, 2016. Its latest funding round was a Series A round on May 22, 2018 for $*****. 7 investors participated in its latest round. Novel Effect has 13 institutional investors.

Here is the list of recent funding rounds of Novel Effect:

Filter this list

Date of Funding	Funding Amount	Round Name	Post-Money Valuation	Revenue Multiple	Lead Investors	Other Investors
May 22, 2018	9055357	Series A	7927956	3458560	6428001	8927345
Jul 17, 2017	1000490	Seed	5171955	2579101	2418224	6589505
2017	7001	Seed	1332	6586	Carbon Ventures	3386

Access funding benchmarks and valuations. Sign up today!

View details of Novel Effect's funding rounds and investors

The founders of Novel Effect are Matthew Hammersley and Melissa Hammersley. Matthew Hammersley is the CEO of Novel Effect.

Here are the details of Novel Effect's key team members:

Matthew Hammersley: Co-Founder & CEO of Novel Effect.
Contact Info: 1 email address
Melissa Hammersley: Co Founder and Chief Product Officer of Novel Effect.

View details of Novel Effect's Founder profiles and Board Members

Novel Effect's employee count trend

Novel Effect has 21 employees as of Apr 26. Here is Novel Effect's employee count trend over the years:

Uncover Novel Effect's growth story! Sign up today!

Access Tracxn on any website

Our Google Chrome extension lets you view company details while browsing their websites

Install Tracxn Extension

Top competitors of Novel Effect include Epic, Readmio and StoryToys. Here is the list of Top 10 competitors of Novel Effect, ranked by Tracxn score:

Rank	Company Details	Short Description	Total Funding	Investors	Tracxn Score
1st	Epic 2013, Redwood City (United States), Acquired	Provider of eBooks for kids	$62.5M	Webb Investment Network, Maven Ventures & 18 others	74/100
2nd	Readmio 2019, Slovakia, Series A	Provider of interactive stories with sounds and music for children	$3.52M	Zero Gravity Capital, Simpact VC & 3 others	65/100
3rd	StoryToys 2008, Dublin (Ireland), Acquired	Developer of educational apps for childrens	$3.76M	AIB Seed Capital Fund, Zynga & 6 others	61/100
4th	Learn With Homer 2013, Brooklyn (United States), Acquired	Comprehensive literacy applications for kids	$93M	LIQUiDITY, Trustbridge Partners & 20 others	61/100
5th	BrainPOP 1999, New York City (United States), Acquired	Gamified K-12 learning content	-	-	55/100
6th	BOOKR Kids 2015, Budapest (Hungary), Series A	App-based platform for e-books	$5.95M	Bonitás, Epic Angels & 4 others	55/100
7th	Vooks 2017, Portland (United States), Series B	Provider of online animated books	$35.7M	-	52/100
8th	Lunii 2014, Paris (France), Seed	Manufacturer of interactive audio devices and related audiobooks for children	$11.4M	SaaS Lander, BNP Paribas Developpement & 3 others	52/100
9th	Novel Effect 2015, Seattle (United States), Series A	Interactive read-alouds with music and sound effects for engaging storytime	$4.34M	Alpha Edison, Kygo & 11 others	51/100
10th	Moshi 2005, London (United Kingdom), Series B	Online platform offering stories for kids	$12M	Accel, TriplePoint Capital & 1 others	50/100