Company profile · 3 min read
AndThen turns voice conversations into games, challenges and episodic interactive shows
AndThen is a voice-first entertainment platform for creators building short, replayable AI character experiences with goals and narrative guardrails.
Cofounder of Lazyweb (a16z Speedrun). Previously grew subscriptions and built native ads at Duolingo. Writes First1000 (90,000+ subscribers).
Published · Updated
AndThen is a voice-first entertainment platform for people who want to play a conversation, not listen to a finished show. Its current opportunity is creator-led interactive formats—games, challenges and episodic stories that give the player a goal.
What it does
The Speedrun company profile describes short, repeatable voice experiences built from AI characters, multi-agent interactions and narrative guardrails. The public examples include game shows, mysteries and character-driven stories, with the company onboarding creators, writers, celebrities, brands and IP holders. AndThen company profile
The current homepage is much simpler: “Play the conversation,” with human-crafted audio experiences controlled by voice and a launch video. AndThen homepage That distinction matters. The company has a clear product thesis, but the public page does not yet provide a broad catalog, consumer pricing or a self-serve publishing workflow. The profile calls opening the platform to any user a roadmap item, not a current guarantee.
The advantage is format, not just novelty. A creator can design a repeatable show where the audience’s responses change what happens next, while the AI handles character interaction inside guardrails. The tradeoff is that interactive audio needs both good writing and reliable turn-taking; a model that improvises can easily break the format, pacing or intended rating.
The founding team brings unusually relevant media context. The Speedrun profile identifies Gavin Purcell as a former showrunner of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Rex Sorgatz as a repeat founder with an exit and Kevin Pereira as a producer, host and AI-product leader at Telly.
What to check
Creators should ask which formats are currently live, how much control they have over prompts and story state, how safety and rights are handled for celebrity or licensed IP, and what usage or revenue model applies. Consumers should ask whether an experience is a finished show, a limited launch or a repeatable game before expecting a platform-scale catalog.
My editorial take
I would watch AndThen for creators who already understand episodic formats and can write clear goals for an AI character. I would not compare it to a podcast directory or a general chatbot. The early product will live or die on whether each interaction feels designed rather than merely generated; the public evidence supports the thesis, but not yet a broad distribution or monetization claim.
Quick facts
| Field | Sourced detail |
|---|---|
| Buyer | Interactive creators, brands and entertainment audiences |
| Product | Voice-first games, challenges and episodic stories |
| Current access | Public homepage and launch material; catalog depth not established |
| Pricing | Not published in the checked sources |
| Main fit question | Can the format make players return, not just try one conversation? |
Sources checked
AndThen’s Speedrun company profile and current homepage were checked on 2026-09-19.
About the author
Cofounder of Lazyweb (a16z Speedrun). Previously grew subscriptions and built native ads at Duolingo. Writes First1000 (90,000+ subscribers).
I cofound Lazyweb and publish Mudpie. This is an owner-written publication, not an independent testing organization. Research notes distinguish observations, sourced reporting and editorial judgment.
First1000 ↗ · X ↗