EDGE Sound Research, a Riverside, California-based startup developing audio perception infrastructure for artificial intelligence, announced $2 million in new funding on October 27, 2026. The investment was led by Stormbreaker Ventures, bringing the company’s total funding to $9 million, according to its announcement.
Co-founded by Valtteri Salomaki, CEO, and Dr. Ethan Castro, CTO, EDGE Sound Research develops technology that enables AI systems to interpret physical environments by combining sound with visual and sensor information. The company’s approach originated from research at the University of California, Riverside.
Its perception platform processes audio captured through microphones and sensor arrays, separates individual sounds from overlapping background noise, and connects those signals with video, object tracking, timing and location information. This allows systems to associate sound events with specific objects and activities in real time.
EDGE Sound Research initially commercialised its technology in live sports, where its Virtual Sound Engine helps broadcasters automate audio capture and isolate sounds associated with individual players and events. The company identifies Shure, the NBA, Fox Sports and the United States Tennis Association among its customers and partners.
The new funding will support additional deployments with sports broadcasters, leagues and venues. EDGE Sound Research also plans to expand its proprietary multimodal sensor data and develop applications for physical AI, robotics, autonomous systems and intelligent environments.
These applications are intended to help machines interpret environmental signals that cameras alone may not capture, such as sounds originating outside their visual field.
The latest investment follows a $2.75 million funding extension in July 2025, led by Elevate Ventures, with participation from USTA Ventures, the DeVos family, LEAD VC, Cartan Capital and Potential Capital, among other investors.
