Networking giant Cisco has announced the acquisition of EzDubs, a Y-Combinator-backed startup specializing in real-time AI translation services. While the deal was confirmed over the weekend, Cisco did not disclose the financial terms of the acquisition.
Enhancing Cisco Collaboration with AI Translation
Cisco plans to integrate EzDubs' advanced technology into its comprehensive communication platform, Cisco Collaboration, which encompasses both hardware and software solutions. This integration will bring features like live translation to key products such as Webex video calling and messaging. Notably, EzDubs' technology is designed to preserve the speaker's original voice during translation, a significant enhancement for natural communication.
Cisco's blog post also indicated that this innovative translation capability could be extended to partners and developers, fostering a broader ecosystem of AI-powered communication tools.
"The EzDubs team will join Cisco Collaboration, working side-by-side with our product, engineering, and go-to-market teams. Together, we will chart a new course for the industry, one where AI doesn’t just support collaboration, but truly empowers it," said Snorre Kjesbu, SVP of Collaboration at Cisco, in a blog post.
It remains unclear whether all members of the EzDubs team will transition to Cisco. The company has been contacted for clarification.
EzDubs' Journey and Shift to Enterprise
Founded in 2023 by Padmanabhan Krishnamurthy, Amrutavarsh Kinagi, and Kareem Nassar, EzDubs quickly gained traction. Interestingly, Nassar previously worked in Cisco's Speech AI group before co-founding the startup. EzDubs successfully raised $4.2 million in seed funding, led by Venture Highway, a firm founded by former WhatsApp Chief Business Officer Neeraj Arora. Other notable investors included Replit CEO Amjad Masad, Replit President Michele Catasta, Applied Intuition CEO Qasar Younis, and Replicate CEO Ben Firshman.
Following the acquisition, EzDubs will discontinue its consumer-facing applications, which offered call translations in over 30 languages, by December 15. This move signals a clear shift from the consumer market to an enterprise focus under Cisco's umbrella.
"From launching the world’s first video dubbing tool that garnered millions of views on X (formerly Twitter) to enabling real-time, voice and emotion preserving phone call translation across 30+ languages, this journey has been extraordinary. But what has truly meant the most is the support, feedback, and stories you’ve shared along the way," the startup shared in a blog post to its users.
Broader Trends in the Translation Market
This acquisition highlights a growing trend in the language technology sector. Recent months have seen other significant deals, such as Seven Seven Six-backed Palabra AI acquiring live communication platform Talo, and language localization company TransPerfect acquiring Portugal-based translation startup Unbabel in July.
The strategic shift of EzDubs from consumer to enterprise, facilitated by Cisco's acquisition, underscores a broader industry question regarding the viability of consumer-focused translation services versus the substantial demand and financial opportunities within the enterprise communication market. The global translation services market is currently valued at approximately $40 billion, according to various reports, indicating a robust and growing sector for specialized solutions.
