Avoca is an AI startup founded in 2022 by MIT graduates Apurva Shrivastava and Tyson Chen, developing voice AI agents specifically for home service businesses including plumbers, electricians, HVAC technicians, roofers, and home repair companies. The company's origin story is deeply personal: Shrivastava grew up helping his parents run a small business in Michigan and noticed that every missed customer call meant a lost sale; Chen had a similar experience with his mother's acupuncture clinic in Pennsylvania. This insight led them to build AI that could answer calls instantly, sound like a real human conversation, check live calendars to book appointments automatically, and follow up on old customer estimates—all without requiring a full-time receptionist. The platform integrates directly with business software and has been adopted by over 800 customers including 1-800-GOT-JUNK and Goettl Air Conditioning. After raising more than $125 million from top Silicon Valley investors (Meritech Capital, General Catalyst, Kleiner Perkins), Avoca has reached a $1 billion valuation and is on track to help generate nearly $1 billion worth of jobs for its customers. The company is positioned as a growth enabler rather than a replacement for technicians, reflecting Shrivastava's view that 'the next million-dollar job is the job of a plumber, the job of a technician.'