Voice AI startup Wispr raises $280 million

Wispr, a startup building voice-controlled AI, raised $280 million on August 17, 2026, valuing the company at $2 billion. Menlo Ventures led the round. Total funding reached $361 million — up from $25 million in November 2025. Worth flagging: that jump signals investors have grown far more confident about talking to computers as an interface in under a year.