What Speaksee Venue Accessibility does

Speaksee B.V., operating as Speaksee, is a Rotterdam-based accessibility technology company founded in 2017 that builds AI-powered speech-to-text products for deaf and hard-of-hearing users. Its flagship Microphone Kit is a patented hardware system using beamforming microphone arrays to deliver real-time, color-coded transcription of group conversations with up to nine participants, with claimed accuracy exceeding 95% even in noisy environments. The portfolio has expanded to include Soundshape 1 Pro, a venue event-accessibility device supporting real-time subtitles and translations in over 100 languages, and AutoCaption, a Windows-based software overlay that integrates with Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, and WebEx for live captioning of digital meetings.

Speaksee operates a hybrid hardware-plus-subscription revenue model: the Microphone Kit requires a one-time hardware purchase plus a recurring monthly subscription, Soundshape is sold as a one-time device with flexible subscriptions for support and data, and AutoCaption is a subscription software product. Distribution combines direct Shopify e-commerce, enterprise field sales targeting government and financial institutions, audiologist and hearing-care professional referral networks in the Netherlands, and government reimbursement pathways including the UK's Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA) and Access-to-Work programs and the Dutch UWV scheme and health-insurer reimbursement. The company is headquartered at Admiraliteitsstraat 7A, Rotterdam, has 11–50 employees (about 12 named individuals including engineers, designers, a community manager, and a CTO/COO), and operates across the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Belgium.

The company's AI speech-recognition technology has been independently validated by a Radboud UMC comparative study reporting approximately 2 errors per 100 words versus more than 20 for competing applications. Named customers include PwC, KPN, Rabobank, Gemeente Rotterdam, Beeld en Geluid, and Connevans, with end-user testimonials spanning education, religious, and SMB use cases. Speaksee has received recognition in the Dutch Tweede Kamer and over €1 million in 2024 funding co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (EFRO), with investors including Generous Minds, NoorderImpact, and ZebraLegal.

Name

Speaksee Venue Accessibility

Legal name

Speaksee B.V.

Website

https://speak-see.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Speaksee B.V. is a Rotterdam-based accessibility technology company that provides AI-powered speech-to-text solutions—including a patented beamforming microphone kit, venue captioning hardware, and meeting software—for deaf and hard-of-hearing users across workplace, educational, and social settings in Europe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Assistive Hearing and Accessibility Technology

NAICS

Translation and Interpretation Services (541930)

SIC

Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)

akta.pro primary industry

Assistive Hearing & Communication Access (Captioning, Hearing Support, Transcription) (EDAFAKAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Speech Translation & Multilingual Speech Tech (HDAAAFAE), Classroom Audio, Voice Amplification & Communication Hardware/Software (EDAFAGAI)

Keywords

• Speech to text captioning
• Accessibility technology
• Assistive listening devices
• Live event subtitles
• Hearing accessibility solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Rotterdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Microphone Kit hardware sales: One-time hardware fee for the Speaksee Microphone Kit (patented microphone system). Hardware includes multiple beamforming microphones for group conversations up to 9 participants.
2. Monthly subscription services: Monthly subscription required in addition to hardware purchase. Includes app access, transcription services, multilingual translation, and note-taking functionality.
3. Soundshape event solutions: One-time purchase cost for Soundshape device supplemented with flexible subscription options for ongoing support and data usage. Targeted at event venues, council chambers, and lecture halls.
4. AutoCaption software licensing: Windows-compatible software for real-time captioning of digital meetings. Cost-effective solution compared to traditional captioning services. Works with all video conferencing platforms.
5. Government reimbursement funding: UK government funding through Access-to-Work and Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) covers full product costs for eligible users. Dutch reimbursement through UWV for workplace and health insurers for private use.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Speaksee develops and sells AI-powered speech-to-text accessibility products for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals. Its core offerings are the Microphone Kit (patented beamforming hardware kit for in-person group conversations up to 9 people), AutoCaption (Windows software for real-time captioning of digital meetings on Zoom, Teams, Google Meet, and WebEx), and Soundshape 1 Pro (event-venue hardware delivering real-time subtitles and translation in 100+ languages).

Product overview

Speaksee offers a product portfolio of three accessibility solutions: the Speaksee Microphone Kit (hardware) for in-person group conversations, Speaksee AutoCaption (software) for digital meetings, and Soundshape 1 Pro (event solution) for venue-wide accessibility. The Microphone Kit uses AI-powered beamforming microphones to transcribe speech to text in real-time with speaker identification for up to 9 participants. AutoCaption provides real-time captioning for video conferencing platforms. Soundshape enables real-time subtitles and translations across 100+ languages for events. All products share core AI speech-to-text technology, emphasize privacy (end-to-end encryption, no data storage), and are designed for deaf and hard-of-hearing users across professional, educational, and social use cases.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Soundshape: Real-time subtitles and translation solution for events, supporting 100+ languages for accessibility of deaf, hard of hearing, and international guests.
• AutoCaption

Products and services

• Speaksee Microphone Kit AI-powered hardware microphone kit that uses beamforming technology to instantly convert speech to text, making group conversations (up to 9 people) accessible to deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals. Each speaker wears a clip-on microphone and speech is transcribed in under one second with color-coded subtitles per speaker. Sold as a one-time hardware purchase plus a required monthly subscription for app access and transcription services.
• Speaksee AutoCaption Automatic live captioning software for Windows that transforms digital meetings, online education, webinars, and podcasts into accessible experiences. Works with all major video conferencing platforms including Zoom, MS Teams, Google Meet, and WebEx, and features dynamic Caption Overlay that places captions on top of any program. Sold on a subscription basis.
• Soundshape 1 Pro Event-venue accessibility device that provides real-time subtitles and translations in 100+ languages for deaf, hard-of-hearing, and international audiences. Visitors can view subtitles on their own smartphone, tablet, or laptop, or via large screens in the venue. Sold as a one-time hardware purchase with optional flexible subscription for ongoing support and data usage; integrates with existing AV systems.

Quantifiable outcome

• 95%+ transcription accuracy even with strong accents and loud background noise
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability4 records

Feature5 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Microsoft Teams Live Captions: Microsoft Teams ships built-in live captions and transcription across meetings at no incremental cost. As a free, enterprise-grade captioning feature, it is the primary substitute for Speaksee's AutoCaption in digital meeting workflows.
• Google Live Transcribe: Google's Live Transcribe provides free, on-device real-time captioning on Android for deaf and hard-of-hearing users. As a free, widely distributed alternative, it competes on accessibility use cases and pressures Speaksee's consumer proposition.
• 3Play Media: 3Play Media offers closed captioning, transcription, and audio description services across media, education, and enterprise. It is a broader incumbent in accessibility services whose live-event and meeting captioning compete with Speaksee's event and digital-meeting products.

Emerging players

• Whisper (OpenAI): Whisper is OpenAI's open-source speech-to-text model offering strong multilingual transcription accuracy. It represents the underlying general-purpose AI capability that competes with Speaksee's core transcription engine, particularly for AutoCaption and Soundshape.
• InnerVoice: InnerVoice develops AI-powered communication tools for people with communication disabilities. It overlaps thematically with Speaksee's accessibility mission though it targets broader communication challenges (e.g., autism) rather than hearing loss.
• Be My Eyes: Be My Eyes provides visual accessibility assistance to blind and low-vision users via a global volunteer network and AI. While focused on sight, it operates in the same broader accessibility-tech category and shares Speaksee's mission-driven, community-led approach.

Direct peers

• Otter.ai: Otter.ai delivers real-time meeting transcription, speaker identification, and notes for professional teams. While it serves a broader enterprise audience, its live captioning and speaker differentiation overlap with Speaksee's AutoCaption and Microphone Kit use cases.
• Ava: Ava provides real-time captioning for group conversations specifically targeting deaf and hard-of-hearing users in workplace and education settings. It is the most direct competitor to Speaksee's Microphone Kit, offering a similar multi-speaker color-coded transcription model via a mobile app rather than dedicated hardware.
• Rogervoice: Rogervoice provides real-time captioning for phone calls targeted at deaf and hard-of-hearing users. It is comparable to Speaksee's communication-accessibility mission, addressing a related but distinct use case (telephony rather than in-person groups).
• AI Media: AI Media provides real-time captioning and translation services for live events, broadcast, and enterprise meetings. It is highly comparable to Speaksee's Soundshape product, serving venues, conferences, and public institutions with multilingual accessibility.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/speak_see
• Facebookfacebook.com/SpeakSee
• Instagraminstagram.com/speak_see

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors3 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Speaksee Venue Accessibility