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Tyson Chen

Co-founder of Avoca, an AI sales and contact center agent for home services companies; previously PM at Nuro and consultant at BCG

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6 News mentions

Overview

Chen is co-founder and co-CEO of Avoca AI[2], a company developing AI sales and contact center agents for home services companies[1]. Chen attended Massachusetts Institute of Technology, earning a BS in Computer Science between 2013 and 2017[11]. Prior to founding Avoca, Chen worked as a Product Manager at Nuro from 2020 to 2022[4], following an earlier role as Product Operations Manager at the same company from 2019 to 2020[5]. Chen also worked as a Consultant at The Boston Consulting Group from 2017 to 2019[6]. Earlier experience includes positions as an AI Researcher at MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory from 2015 to 2017[7] and a Researcher at MIT Media Lab from 2015 to 2016[9]. Chen participated in Y Combinator in 2023[12].

Career history

  1. Founder, Co-CEO2022 to PresentAvoca AI
  2. Product Manager2020 to 2022Nuro
  3. Product Operations Manager2019 to 2020Nuro
  4. Consultant2017 to 2019The Boston Consulting Group (BCG)
  5. AI ResearcherJul 2015 to Jun 2017MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL)
  6. Summer AssociateJun 2016 to Aug 2016Boston Consulting Group (BCG)
  7. ResearcherAug 2015 to May 2016MIT Media Lab
  8. Software Engineering InternJun 2015 to Sep 2015Microsoft
  9. FounderAvoca
  10. Founder, Co-CEOAvoca

Education

  1. BS, Computer Science2013 - 2017Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  2. Y Combinator2023 - 2023
  3. Central York High School2009 - 2013

Insights & ideas

The through-line

Across these appearances, Tyson Chen's focus stays fixed on one problem: how home services businesses handle their phones, and how AI can change that. The material attributes to him a consistent picture of Avoca as a platform built around two distinct AI functions rather than a single generic tool, and a recurring emphasis on call volume and booked jobs as the measure of whether the technology is actually working [1][3][4].

On AI in home service call centers

The discussions describe Chen explaining how AI is reshaping call handling for plumbing, electrical, and HVAC businesses, with the show notes framing this as a shift in "how AI is changing the game for home service call centers" [1][4]. The conversations are described as covering Avoca's approach from an owned-and-operated perspective, suggesting Chen speaks not just about the technology in the abstract but about running it inside real home services operations [1].

On Avoca's product approach

The material attributes to Chen a two-part product structure at Avoca: Coach, aimed at training customer service representatives, and Responder, aimed at automated call handling [4]. The show notes describe the discussion as covering "Avoca's two" main components, reinforcing that Chen presents the company's offering as split between improving human agents and automating the calls machines can handle directly [3][4]. The stated outcome tied to these tools is an increase in booked jobs for the businesses using them [4].

Takeaways

  • Avoca's AI product is built around two distinct tools, Coach for CSR training and Responder for automated call handling, rather than one undifferentiated system [4].
  • The stated business outcome tied to Avoca's tools is more booked jobs for home services companies, not just call automation for its own sake [4].
  • Chen discusses Avoca's impact from an owned-and-operated angle, tying the technology discussion to real operational results in home services call centers [1].

Media & appearances

In the news

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