Revolutionary Audio Processing Startup Hance Scores Intel Partnership, Showcases at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025
In the high-speed world of Formula One racing, where every second counts, a clear line of communication is paramount. Yet, in the heat of the race, drivers often face issues deciphering crucial instructions from their engineers due to background noise. This predicament has been addressed by Norwegian startup Hance with an innovative audio processing software solution.
The compact and swift technology, already recognized by industry giants like Intel and Riedel Communications – F1’s official radio supplier – is set to captivate audiences at the 2025 edition of Disrupt, taking place October 27-29 at San Francisco’s Moscone Center.
Comprising a team of approximately ten individuals, Hance boasts an impressive pedigree in the audio industry. Co-founder Stian Aagedal, also CEO of audio editing software company Acon Digital, and Peder Jørgensen, head of sound effects library Soundly, lead the charge at Hance.
Realizing the potential of burgeoning AI technologies in the audio processing domain, particularly noise reduction and isolation, Hance’s founders started training their models using high-quality recordings from Soundly. These recordings encompassed an array of sounds, ranging from the deafening roar of Formula One cars to the crackling of Icelandic volcanoes.
By shrinking their processing models to a minuscule 242 kB, Hance has enabled on-device operation rather than relying on cloud-based solutions. This shift saves valuable time and energy, with Hance’s models capable of separating sounds, eliminating noise, echo, and reverb, and enhancing speech clarity within a mere 10 milliseconds.
While others offer comparable audio processing software, Hance’s miniature, energy-efficient models can process audio in real-time on devices of all sizes, making them ideal for radios used by organizations like F1 or FIFA, as well as attracting interest from law enforcement and defense sectors.
Hance’s CEO, Joote Hika, highlighted the potential applications beyond racing and sports, citing partnerships with technology giant Intel and discussions with other chipmakers, including an unnamed smartphone manufacturer.
Professional collaborations, which Hika expects to last several years, will maintain Hance’s focus on R&D while ensuring a steady stream of “AI-capable” workers to keep the company lean. However, Hika emphasized that maintaining their competitive edge would necessitate ongoing development at an accelerated pace.
Hance is one of 200 startups selected to showcase their technology at Disrupt 2025, offering attendees the opportunity to learn more about this promising audio processing solution and dozens of others, as well as listen to guest speakers across four different stages. For more information on tickets and pricing, visit our website.
