Speechmatics

Speechmatics was founded in 2006 by Tony Robinson who pioneered in the application of recurrent neural networks to speech recognition.{{cite journal|last1=Robinson|first1=Tony|last2=Fallside|first2=Frank|title=A recurrent error propagation network speech recognition system|journal=Computer Speech and Language|date=July 1991|volume=5|issue=3|pages=259–274|doi=10.1016/0885-2308(91)90010-N}}{{cite book|last1=Robinson|first1=Tony|title=Automatic Speech and Speaker Recognition|chapter=The Use of Recurrent Neural Networks in Continuous Speech Recognition|year=1996|volume=355|pages=233–258|doi=10.1007/978-1-4613-1367-0_10|series=The Kluwer International Series in Engineering and Computer Science|isbn=978-1-4612-8590-8|citeseerx=10.1.1.364.7237}}{{Cite news|last=Wakefield|first=Jane|date=14 March 2008|title=Speech recognition moves to text|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7292236.stm|access-date=24 August 2020}} He was one of the early people who has discovered the practical capabilities of deep neural networks and how they can be used to benefit speech recognition.{{cite journal|last1=Robinson|first1=Tony|title=A neural network based, speaker independent, large vocabulary, continuous speech recognition system: the WERNICKE project|journal=Third European Conference on Speech Communication and Technology|date=September 1993|volume=1|pages=1941–1944|url=https://www.isca-speech.org/archive/eurospeech_1993/e93_1941.html|access-date=17 May 2018}}

In 2014, the company led the development of a billion-word text corpus for measuring progress in statistical language modelling and placed the corpus into the public domain to help accelerate the development of speech recognition technology.{{cite journal|last1=Chelba|first1=Ciprian|last2=Mikolov|first2=Tomas|title=One billion word benchmark for measuring progress in statistical language modeling|journal=Interspeech|date=March 2014|arxiv=1312.3005|bibcode=2013arXiv1312.3005C}}

In 2017, the company announced they had developed a new computational method for creating new language models at speed.{{cite web|last1=Orlowski|first1=Andrew|title=Total recog: British AI makes universal speech breakthrough.|url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/12/01/british_ai_makes_universal_speech_breakthrough/|website=The Register|publisher=Situation Publishing|access-date=17 May 2018}} Around the same time Speechmatics announced a partnership with Qatar Computing Research Institute (QCRI) to develop advanced Arabic speech to text services.{{cite web|last1=Erdagami|first1=Ahmed|title=QCRI in deal with UK's Speechmatics to take Arabic transcription technology global|url=http://www.qatarisbooming.com/article/qcri-deal-uk%E2%80%99s-speechmatics-take-arabic-transcription-technology-global|website=Qatar is Booming|publisher=ME Business Wire|access-date=17 May 2018}}

In 2018, Speechmatics became the first ASR provider to develop a Global English language pack which incorporates all dialects and accents of English into one single model.{{cite news |title=Speechmatics Improves Language Recognition Accuracy with Next Generation Update |url=https://audioxpress.com/news/speechmatics-improves-language-recognition-accuracy-with-next-generation-update |access-date=22 March 2022 |work=audioXpress |language=en}}

In 2019, the company raised £6.35 million in venture capital investment in a Series A funding round.{{cite news |title=Speechmatics raises £6.35m Series A |url=https://www.uktech.news/featured/speechmatics-raises-6-35m-series-a-20191021 |access-date=22 March 2022 |work=UK Tech News |date=21 October 2019}} With investment from Albion Venture Capital, IQ Capital, and Amadeus Capital Partners, Speechmatics were able to scale into a fast-growth technology start-up. In the same year, the company wins a Queen's Award for Innovation.{{cite news |title=Speechmatics' Queen's Award honours translation at its best |url=https://www.cambridgeindependent.co.uk/business/speechmatics-queen-s-award-honours-translation-at-its-best-9084101/ |access-date=22 March 2022 |work=Cambridge Independent |date=25 September 2019 |language=en}}{{cite news |title=Eight Cambridge life science and technology companies win Queen's Awards {{!}} Business Weekly {{!}} Technology News {{!}} Business news {{!}} Cambridge and the East of England |url=https://www.businessweekly.co.uk/news/hi-tech/eight-cambridge-life-science-and-technology-companies-win-queen%E2%80%99s-awards |access-date=22 March 2022 |work=www.businessweekly.co.uk}}

In 2020, Speechmatics began scaling beyond its product development and into physical geographic locations. The company opened offices in Brno, Czech Republic, Denver, USA and Chennai, India.{{cite news |title=Live Chennai: Speechmatics adds Chennai office as part of global expansion plans, Speechmatics, Speech Therapy, Second International Office in Chennai, Hive Collaborative Workspaces |url=https://www.livechennai.com/detailnews.asp?catid=&newsid=51722 |access-date=22 March 2022 |work=www.livechennai.com}}{{cite news |last1=Ohr |first1=Thomas |date=21 October 2019 |title=Cambridge-based Speechmatics raises €7.4 million for the global expansion of its speech recognition technology |url=https://www.eu-startups.com/2019/10/cambridge-based-speechmatics-raises-e7-4-million-for-the-global-expansion-of-its-speech-recognition-technology/ |work=EU-Startups}}

In March 2021, Speechmatics announced its launch on the Microsoft Azure Marketplace to offer any-context speech recognition technology at scale. The ability to consume Speechmatics’ speech recognition engine directly in the Microsoft Azure technology stack enables businesses to start using the technology quickly without barriers to adoption.{{cite news |last1=Team |first1=EBM ADMIN |title=Speechmatics launches on the Microsoft Azure Marketplace to offer any-context speech recognition technology at scale |url=https://europeanbusinessmagazine.com/business/speechmatics-launches-on-the-microsoft-azure-marketplace-to-offer-any-context-speech-recognition-technology-at-scale/ |access-date=4 April 2022 |work=European Business Magazine |date=24 March 2021}}

In December 2021, Speechmatics and consumer AI startup Personal.ai announced their partnership to offer individuals a personal AI that empower them to never forget their conversations, spoken notes, reminders, details of what they said during a meeting, and more — no matter the dialect of English that they use or accent that they carry.{{cite news |last1=McFarl |first1=Alex |title=Speechmatics Partners With Personal.ai to Capture Voice Memories |url=https://www.unite.ai/speechmatics-partners-with-personal-ai-to-capture-voice-memories/ |access-date=4 April 2022 |work=Unite.AI |date=10 December 2021}}

In March 2023, Speechmatics released Ursa - a speech-to-text engine setting a new benchmark in transcription accuracy. Ursa, trained on millions of hours of audio data, captures spoken words in noisy and challenging environments.{{Cite web |last=Shenwai |first=Tanushree |date=2023-03-15 |title=Speechmatics Introduces Ursa: A Speech-To-Text System That Delivers Unprecedented Performance Across A Diverse Range of Voices |url=https://www.marktechpost.com/2023/03/15/speechmatics-introduces-ursa-a-speech-to-text-system-that-delivers-unprecedented-performance-across-a-diverse-range-of-voices/ |access-date=2024-08-23 |website=MarkTechPost |language=en-US}}

In July 2024, Speechmatics released Flow, an API for voice interactions.[https://www.speechmatics.com/flow Flow allows businesses to build inclusive, seamless and responsive speech interactions into their products.{{Cite web |date=2024-07-25 |title=Speechmatics Introduces Flow API for Advanced Speech Interactions |url=https://audioxpress.com/news/speechmatics-introduces-flow-api-for-advanced-speech-interactions |access-date=2024-08-23 |website=audioXpress |language=en}}

In February 2018, Speechmatics launched Global English, a single English language pack supporting all major English accents for use in speech-to-text transcription. Global English (GE) was trained through spoken data by users from 40 countries and billions of words drawn from global sources, making it comprehensive and accurate accent-agnostic transcription solutions on the market.{{cite news |title=Speechmatics Launches Global English, an Accent-agnostic Language Pack for Speech-to-text Transcription |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/press-releases/2018-02-20/speechmatics-launches-global-english-an-accent-agnostic-language-pack-for-speech-to-text-transcription |access-date=22 March 2022 |work=www.bloomberg.com |date=20 February 2018}}{{cite news |last1=Turner |first1=Brian |title=Best speech-to-text software in 2022: Free, paid and online voice recognition apps and services |url=https://www.techradar.com/news/best-speech-to-text-app |access-date=22 March 2022 |work=TechRadar |date=29 September 2021 |language=en}}

In November 2020, the company launched the first Global Spanish language pack on the market that supports all major Spanish accents. Global Spanish (GS) is a single Spanish language pack trained on data drawn across a wide range of diverse sources – specifically those from Latin America – making it the most accurate and comprehensive accent-independent Spanish language pack for speech-to-text.{{cite news |title=Speechmatics launches industry-first Global Spanish language pack for automatic speech-to-text transcription at scale {{!}} Cambridge Network |url=https://www.cambridgenetwork.co.uk/news/speechmatics-launches-industry-first-global-spanish-language-pack-automatic-speech-text |access-date=22 March 2022 |work=www.cambridgenetwork.co.uk}}

In October 2021, Speechmatics launched its ‘Autonomous Speech Recognition’ software.{{cite news |last1=Coldewey |first1=Devin |title=Speechmatics pushes forward recognition of accented English |url=https://techcrunch.com/2021/10/26/speechmatics-pushes-forward-recognition-of-accented-english/ |access-date=22 March 2022 |work=TechCrunch}}{{cite news |last1=McFarl |first1=Alex |title=Speechmatics Launches Autonomous Speech Recognition Software |url=https://www.unite.ai/speechmatics-launches-autonomous-speech-recognition-software/ |access-date=22 March 2022 |work=Unite.AI |date=26 October 2021}} Using the latest techniques in deep learning and with the introduction of its breakthrough self-supervised models, Speechmatics outperforms Amazon, Apple, Google, and Microsoft in the company's latest step towards its mission to understand all voices.{{cite news |title=How Speechmatics is leading the way in tackling AI bias |url=https://www.information-age.com/how-speechmatics-leading-way-tackling-ai-bias-improving-inclusion-123497494/ |access-date=22 March 2022 |work=Information Age |date=28 October 2021 |language=en}}{{cite news |last1=Burt |first1=Chris |title=Speechmatics says dramatic speech recognition bias reduced with unlabelled training data {{!}} Biometric Update |url=https://www.biometricupdate.com/202110/speechmatics-says-dramatic-speech-recognition-bias-reduced-with-unlabelled-training-data |access-date=22 March 2022 |work=www.biometricupdate.com |date=27 October 2021}}

Speechmatics was named in the FT 1000: Europe's Fastest Growing Companies list for consecutive four years from 2019 to 2022.{{cite web |title=FT 1000: the sixth annual list of Europe's fastest-growing companies |url=https://www.ft.com/ft1000-2022 |access-date=4 April 2022 |date=1 March 2022}}{{cite news |last1=Smith |first1=Ian |title=The FT 1000: third annual list of Europe's fastest-growing companies |url=https://www.ft.com/content/238174d2-3139-11e9-8744-e7016697f225 |access-date=4 April 2022 |work=Financial Times |date=1 March 2019}}

In 2018, the company won SME National Business Awards in High Growth Business of the Year.{{cite news |title=City successes at SME national awards 2018 |url=https://www.cambridgeindependent.co.uk/business/city-successes-at-sme-national-awards-2018-9057391/ |access-date=4 April 2022 |work=Cambridge Independent |date=19 December 2018 |language=en}}

In 2019, Speechmatics won 2019 Queen's Award for Enterprise in Innovation category.{{cite news |title=Speechmatics recognised with prestigious Queen's Award {{!}} Cambridge Network |url=https://www.cambridgenetwork.co.uk/node/559123 |access-date=4 April 2022 |work=www.cambridgenetwork.co.uk}}{{cite web |title=Cambridge Independent: Speechmatics' Queen's Award honours innovation at its best - News & insight |url=https://www.jbs.cam.ac.uk/insight/2019/cambridge-independent-speechmatics-queens-award-honours-innovation-at-its-best/ |website=Cambridge Judge Business School |access-date=4 April 2022 |date=18 September 2019}}

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Category:Technology companies of England

Category:Companies based in Cambridge

Category:Speech recognition software

Category:British companies established in 2006