Signapse
Signapse is a UK AI company that uses GANs and deep learning to translate text into photo-realistic British Sign Language (BSL) and American Sign Language (ASL) video for transport, media, enterprise, and public-sector customers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersGuildford, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Signapse does
Signapse Ltd. is a UK-based AI company that builds generative sign language translation technology for British Sign Language (BSL) and American Sign Language (ASL). Founded in 2020 and headquartered in Cambridge (with an additional office in Guildford at the Surrey Technology Centre), the company emerged from computer vision research at the University of Surrey and operates with an 11-50 person team. Its core technology combines Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) with deep learning, natural language processing, and computer vision pipelines to convert text or speech into photo-realistic digital signer videos that are approved by qualified Deaf translators.
The company monetises through a four-product portfolio: SignStudio (subscription-based video translation platform for post-production content), SignStream API (real-time AI sign language translation for live streaming, broadcasting, and digital displays, priced on usage/subscription), the Transport Sign Language Translator (digital displays deployed across rail and airport networks), and a Website Translation Plugin (subscription-based accessibility widget). Go-to-market blends API-first distribution (with channel partners SyncWords, EnableAll, and Cognizant), enterprise field sales targeting transport, media, government, and corporate buyers, and product-led growth via a free SignStream tool at ai.signapse.com. Named enterprise customers include Network Rail, Northern Trains, South Western Railway, LNER, Gerald R. Ford International Airport, CVG, CBC, NHS England, and Nestle.
Signapse has disclosed roughly $2.9M of funding across a 2022 founding round, a $1.875M equity raise in May 2024 (led by Deeptech Seed Fund and Soulmates Ventures) with a co-occurring $625K Innovate UK grant, plus follow-on grants from Miami-Dde Innovation Authority and acceptance into the IAGi and AcceliCITY accelerators. The company is positioning around the European Accessibility Act (effective 2025), UK Equality Act 2010, GDPR, and the EU AI Act, and has formalised its approach through an AI Governance Framework and partnerships with the British Deaf Association, Royal Association for Deaf People, and Action Deafness. The senior team comprises CEO Sally Chalk, CTO Alex Le Peltier, Chief Success Officer Ben Saunders, CRO Will Berry, and Head of Quality Rachel Benyon.
Signapse firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Signapse
- Legal name
- Signapse Ltd.
- Website
- https://signapse.ai
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Signapse is a UK AI company that uses GANs and deep learning to translate text into photo-realistic British Sign Language (BSL) and American Sign Language (ASL) video for transport, media, enterprise, and public-sector customers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Signapse industry classification
Industry- Product category
- AI Sign Language Translation Software
- NAICS
- Translation and Interpretation Services (54193), Postproduction Services and Other Motion Picture and Video Industries (51219)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Programming Services (7371), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Assistive Reading & Writing Tools (Text-to-Speech, Speech-to-Text, OCR, Dyslexia Support) (EDAFAKAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Sign Language Learning Programs (ASL/BSL, etc.) (EDAMAFAM), API Documentation & Developer Portals (BPAMAOAH)
Keywords
Where Signapse is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Guildford
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Signapse business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- SignStudio Platform Subscription: Monthly subscription for video translation platform allowing users to generate BSL and ASL translations with digital signers for post-production content. Includes customization options.
- SignStream API: API access for real-time sign language translation integrated into third-party platforms and applications. Priced per usage or subscription tier.
- Website Translation Plugin: Plugin for website accessibility enabling users to select sign language and receive translations by clicking on text blocks.
- Transport Solutions: Digital sign language displays for transport networks including airports, train stations, providing accessible passenger announcements.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | SignStudio monthly subscription for video translation platform |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | SignStream API access for real-time translation |
| Subscription | Monthly | Website Translation Plugin subscription |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Signapse product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Signapse develops AI-powered sign language translation software that converts text, speech, and video content into photo-realistic BSL and ASL videos using Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs). Its product portfolio includes the SignStudio video translation platform for post-production content, the SignStream real-time translation API for live streaming and broadcasts, a Transport Sign Language Translator for digital displays at airports and rail stations, and a Website Translation Plugin for on-site accessibility.
Product overview
Signapse offers a multi-product portfolio centered on AI-powered sign language translation technology. The core offering consists of SignStudio Platform for post-production video translation and SignStream API for real-time live content translation. Additional products include Transport Sign Language Translator for digital displays in transportation hubs and Website Translation Plugin for website accessibility. All products support both British Sign Language (BSL) and American Sign Language (ASL), powered by AI-generated digital signers approved by real Deaf translators.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- SignStudio: Video translation platform for seamless BSL and ASL sign language translations for post-production content
- SignStream
- SignStream API
Products and services
- SignStream API Real-time AI sign language translation API for live content, streaming, broadcasting, and digital displays. Enables developers and platforms to integrate instant BSL or ASL translation of text into photo-realistic digital signer videos. Targets streaming platforms, transport systems, broadcasters, and enterprise applications requiring accessible live communications.
- SignStudio Platform Video translation platform for post-production content, providing seamless BSL and ASL sign language translations. Allows users to generate and customize sign language translated videos with digital signers for accessibility of pre-recorded video content.
- Transport Sign Language Translator Digital sign language displays for transport networks providing real-time announcements in BSL and ASL. Enhances the travel experience for Deaf passengers with accessible wayfinding and service information at train stations and airports, with integration to live transport data systems.
- Website Translation Plugin
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 5,000 BSL train announcements generated daily throughout the UK
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Signapse
Customer profileNamed customers15 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Signapse technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
AI capability6 records
Feature6 records
Signapse partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- SyncWordscorePartnership to support live automatic sign language interpretation for streaming platforms. Combines Signapse AI-driven digital signers with SyncWords' live streaming technologies, initially offering British Sign Language (BSL) with plans to expand to American Sign Language (ASL) and other languages.
- LTC Language SolutionscorePartnership to deliver hybrid translation framework combining human interpreters for high-stakes settings with AI-powered translations for everyday communications. LTC provides qualified human interpreters while Signapse provides scalable AI translation technology.
- EnableAllcorePartnership bringing sign language interpretation to EnableAll's e-commerce accessibility widget for Shopify merchants. Signapse's website translation available through EnableAll's platform for online retailers.
- University of SurreycoreOrigin of technology from world-leading computer vision research at University of Surrey. Ongoing research partnership for AI development and sign language datasets.
- British Deaf Association (BDA)coreDeaf organization providing guidance and consultation on AI governance and BSL usage. BDA AI & BSL discussion document referenced in Signapse policies.
- Royal Association for Deaf People (RAD)coreConsultation with RAD as part of external feedback processes to ensure cultural and linguistic integrity of translations.
- Action DeafnesscorePartnership with Action Deafness as UK partner helping make the world more accessible for d/Deaf communities. Logo displayed on partnership page.
- Network RailcoreIntegration of Signapse digital sign language displays into Network Rail's transport information systems for accessible passenger announcements.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights8 records
Signapse competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- SignAll: Sign language recognition and translation technology using sensor and computer vision approaches. Direct peer in automated sign language translation, though historically more focused on sign-to-text rather than Signapse's text-to-sign direction.
- SLAIT: Early-stage AI sign language translation startup building real-time ASL translation models. Direct competitor pursuing AI-driven sign language generation for accessibility use cases.
- Hand Talk: Brazilian AI sign language translation platform converting text and speech to Libras and ASL via an animated avatar. Closest direct competitor in generative sign language translation, though avatar-based rather than Signapse's photo-realistic GAN approach.
Broad incumbents
- Microsoft Translator: Microsoft's enterprise translation and accessibility platform with growing sign language and captioning capabilities. Broad incumbent with potential to absorb accessibility functionality into existing productivity and Azure stacks.
- Sorenson Communications: Established US provider of video relay services (VRS) and communication access for Deaf and hard-of-hearing communities. Broad incumbent in Deaf communication services with overlapping accessibility mission though focused on human-mediated interpretation.
- DeepL: Leading AI translation provider serving enterprise customers with high-quality text translation. Broad incumbent in machine translation that could expand into sign language modalities given scale and capital.
Emerging players
- Wordly: AI interpretation platform providing real-time speech translation for conferences and meetings. Adjacent peer in AI-driven accessibility and interpretation, though focused on spoken-language translation rather than sign language.
- KUDO: AI-powered multilingual interpretation marketplace combining human and AI interpreters for live meetings and events. Adjacent peer in real-time accessibility and interpretation with ASL among supported modalities.
- Ava: AI-powered live captioning and accessibility platform for Deaf and hard-of-hearing users in workplace and education settings. Adjacent competitor addressing Deaf accessibility through captions rather than sign language video translation.
- Capio AI: Real-time AI captioning and accessibility platform for enterprise and live events. Adjacent peer in accessibility AI, with potential overlap as captioning and sign language converge for end-to-end Deaf accessibility solutions.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Signapse social profiles
Digital presenceSignapse compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Signapse financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Signapse leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Signapse funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds6 records
Investors11 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Signapse M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Signapse
What does Signapse do?
Signapse develops AI-powered sign language translation software that converts text, speech, and video content into photo-realistic BSL and ASL videos using Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs). Its product portfolio includes the SignStudio video translation platform for post-production content, the SignStream real-time translation API for live streaming and broadcasts, a Transport Sign Language Translator for digital displays at airports and rail stations, and a Website Translation Plugin for on-site accessibility.
Is Signapse a public or private company?
Signapse is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Signapse founded?
Signapse was founded in 2020. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Signapse based?
Signapse is headquartered in Guildford, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Signapse make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. SignStudio Platform Subscription is the primary driver. The others are signStream API, website Translation Plugin and transport Solutions.
Who are Signapse's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are SignAll, SLAIT and Hand Talk. Broad incumbents are Microsoft Translator, Sorenson Communications and DeepL. Emerging players are Wordly, KUDO, Ava and Capio AI.
Does Signapse have an API?
Yes. SignStream API provides real-time AI sign language translation for live streaming content, broadcasting, and digital displays. The API enables developers to integrate sign language translation into existing platforms, generating video content with digital signers in BSL or ASL. The company offers a free SignStream tool at ai.signapse.com for creating BSL or ASL videos by typing text input. Developer documentation is at www.signapse.ai/signstream-api.
What industry is Signapse in?
Signapse's product category is AI Sign Language Translation Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAFAKAA, Assistive Reading & Writing Tools (Text-to-Speech, Speech-to-Text, OCR, Dyslexia Support), with a secondary code of EDAMAFAM, Sign Language Learning Programs (ASL/BSL, etc.). Its NAICS code is 54193 and its SIC code is 7371.