Cisco Expands Horizons with EzDubs Acquisition: A Leap into Real-Time Translation
In a strategic move to enhance its communications capabilities, tech powerhouse Cisco has officially acquired EzDubs, a promising startup backed by Y Combinator, specializing in real-time translation services. Announced over the weekend, Cisco has opted to keep the financial details of the deal under wraps.
Founded in 2023 by Padmanabhan Krishnamurthy, Amrutavarsh Kinagi, and Kareem Nassar—who notably has a background in Cisco’s Speech AI group—EzDubs has carved a niche in translation technology. The startup successfully raised $4.2 million in seed funding, led by Venture Highway, which was established by former WhatsApp business chief Neeraj Arora. Other notable investors include industry leaders like Amjad Masad and Michele Catasta from Replit, as well as Qasar Younis from Applied Intuition.
Cisco is set to integrate EzDubs’ innovative technology into its Cisco Collaboration platform, enhancing both hardware and software offerings. Users can look forward to features like live translations seamlessly embedded in Webex video calls and messaging. The integration promises to preserve the essence of communication, maintaining the speaker’s original voice—a significant leap for cross-language interactions. Cisco’s Snorre Kjesbu, Senior Vice President of Collaboration, expressed the company’s vision of not just using AI to support collaboration but to truly empower it, stating, “Together, we will chart a new course for the industry.”
While the details are still evolving, Cisco has yet to confirm if all EzDubs team members will join the ranks. In the meantime, EzDubs is winding down its consumer apps, which have offered translation capabilities for over 30 languages, with an official cut-off set for December 15.
In a heartfelt message on their blog, EzDubs reflected on their journey: “From launching our groundbreaking video dubbing tool to pioneering real-time translations for more than 30 languages, we have embraced an extraordinary adventure. Most importantly, we are grateful for your support and the stories you’ve shared with us.”
This acquisition also highlights a growing trend in the translation sector, with other recent movements including Palabra AI’s acquisition of the live communication platform Talo and TransPerfect’s purchase of the startup, Unbabel. As demand for translation services continues to expand, a pivotal question arises: Is the consumer market viable for translation technology, or is the enterprise sector where the real potential lies? Current estimates value the translation services market at a staggering $40 billion, indicating ample opportunity for growth.
As Cisco boldly steps into this new realm, the future of collaborative communication could see exciting developments driven by this dynamic merger.