mpWAV lnc.
mpWAV Inc. is a Seoul-based AI startup developing proprietary multi-microphone speech preprocessing technology that extracts human voices from noisy environments. Its ClearSense Audio mobile app assists hearing-impaired consumers, and its core AI is licensed to electronics, automotive, and industrial manufacturers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersSeoul (Mapo-gu), South Korea
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingSoftware
What mpWAV lnc. does
mpWAV Inc. (엠피웨이브) is a Seoul-based AI startup founded in November 2020 by Prof. Hyung-Min Park of Sogang University to commercialize AI-based multi-microphone speech preprocessing and enhancement technology. The company develops a stack that extracts human voice signals from noisy real-world environments without distorting target speech, addressing both consumer hearing assistance and machine voice-interface applications across hearing-impaired individuals, smart device OEMs, automotive, robotics, and industrial quality control. Its work rests on more than 25 years of academic research in voice enhancement and robust speech recognition at Sogang University and KAIST.
The consumer product is ClearSense Audio (깨끗耳), a smartphone-based smart listening app launched in 2024 that filters ambient noise and enhances target voices using standard earphones, currently free on iOS and Android. Underlying technologies include mpAEC (multi-channel acoustic echo cancellation), mpBeamforming (multi-microphone beamforming targeting a specific sound emitter), mpANC (single-microphone noise cancellation), signal separation, and robust speech recognition, designed to operate across hardware arrays of two-to-eight microphones and on FPGA-based low-cost SoCs. The product portfolio also includes mpClerk for real-time multi-speaker separation, an AI Speech Preprocessing System for embedding in smart speakers, set-top boxes, automotive infotainment, robots, and kiosks, and a Factory Acoustic-based Defect Detection Solution co-developed with Dajin Semiconductor for in-line industrial inspection.
mpWAV pursues a hybrid go-to-market combining product-led consumer distribution through ClearSense Audio with B2B licensing to OEMs (including LG Electronics and Qualcomm, demonstrated via the AI Super Gap Challenge) and government/public procurement following April 2026 designation by Korea's Public Procurement Service as an innovative product. The ClearSense Audio app is currently free with planned transition to a paid subscription model; the AI Speech Preprocessing System is positioned for OEM embedding and telecom operator bundling. International expansion is driven by participation in CES (Las Vegas), MWC (Barcelona), Smart Life Week (Seoul), and Korea-Japan IT Business Exchange (Sapporo). Commercial revenue is supplemented by Korean government grants and program support including selection in the AI Super Gap Startup 1000+ (up to KRW 1.1 billion over five years).
mpWAV lnc. firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- mpWAV lnc.
- Legal name
- mpWAV Inc.
- Website
- https://mpwav.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- mpWAV Inc. is a Seoul-based AI startup developing proprietary multi-microphone speech preprocessing technology that extracts human voices from noisy environments. Its ClearSense Audio mobile app assists hearing-impaired consumers, and its core AI is licensed to electronics, automotive, and industrial manufacturers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
mpWAV lnc. industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Audio and Speech Processing Software
- NAICS
- Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing (33431), Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing (334310)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372), Household Audio & Video Equipment (3651)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Speech Enhancement & Noise Suppression (AEC/NR) (HDAAAFAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- On-Device Speech & Audio AI (wake word, ASR, enhancement) (HDAAAJAF), Assistive Hearing & Communication Access (Captioning, Hearing Support, Transcription) (EDAFAKAC), Microphones, Headsets & Audio Input Devices (HDACAFAH)
Keywords
Where mpWAV lnc. is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Seoul (Mapo-gu)
- HQ country
- South Korea
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
mpWAV lnc. business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- ClearSense Audio Mobile App (Consumer): The ClearSense Audio hearing assistance app is currently offered free of charge for download on App Store and Google Play. The company plans to transition to a paid subscription model for stable revenue generation.
- Enterprise / B2B Licensing of AI Speech Preprocessing Technology: Licensing of proprietary AI voice preprocessing technology (speech enhancement, noise cancellation, echo removal, beamforming) to enterprise customers including electronics manufacturers, automotive companies, and robotics/kiosk makers. Also includes collaboration with telecommunications operators for bundling or standalone service offerings.
- Government / Public Procurement: Following designation as an innovative product by Korea's Public Procurement Service (조달청), mpWAV can now pursue government contracts and public sector sales for its hearing assistance application.
- Factory Acoustic Defect Detection Solution: Joint market expansion with Dajin Semiconductor (대진반도체) for domestic distribution of the company's in-factory acoustic-based defect detection solution, enabling production productivity improvement and inspection cost reduction.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | Free Tier — ClearSense Audio app is currently free to download and use on iOS and Android |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
mpWAV lnc. product offering
Product offeringCore offering
mpWAV develops and sells AI-based speech preprocessing and audio enhancement technology, delivered primarily through its flagship consumer mobile app ClearSense Audio (깨끗耳) that reduces background noise and clarifies voices on smartphones using standard earphones. The company also licenses its proprietary mpAEC, mpBeamforming, and mpANC technologies to enterprise customers including consumer-electronics, automotive, robotics, and kiosk manufacturers for embedding voice interfaces into their products. Additional offerings include mpClerk for multi-speaker separation, an AI Speech Preprocessing System for B2B integration, and a factory acoustic defect detection solution targeting industrial quality control.
Product overview
mpWAV Inc. offers a portfolio of AI-powered audio and voice processing solutions centered on its flagship mobile app ClearSense Audio (깨끗耳) and a suite of core speech enhancement technologies (mpBeamforming, mpAEC, mpANC). The product line includes mpClerk for real-time multi-speaker separation, an AI Speech Preprocessing System for B2B integration, and a Factory Acoustic-based Defect Detection Solution. The core differentiation lies in extracting human voice signals from noisy environments without distortion, supporting applications from consumer hearing assistance to enterprise voice interfaces and industrial quality control.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- ClearSense Audio: AI-powered smart listening app that reduces background noise and makes important voices clearer and easier to hear. Available on smartphones with regular earphones. Korean name: 깨끗耳.
- mpAEC
- mpBeamforming
- mpANC
- mpClerk
Products and services
- ClearSense Audio (깨끗耳) AI-powered hearing assistance mobile app that reduces background noise and clarifies important voices through smartphone microphones and standard earphones, providing an accessible alternative to medical hearing aids for individuals with mild-to-moderate hearing difficulty or anyone needing clear voice hearing in noisy environments.
- mpBeamforming Licensable multi-channel microphone beamforming technology that extracts target speech from multi-microphone signals in noisy real-world environments, making the user's voice clear for both human hearing and machine voice interfaces.
- mpAEC (Multi-channel Acoustic Echo Cancellation) Licensable multi-channel acoustic echo cancellation technology that cancels echo signals in audio systems where multi-channel speaker echoes are input to microphones, designed for B2B integration into consumer electronics, automotive, and conferencing products.
- mpANC (Acoustic Noise Cancellation) Licensable single-microphone acoustic noise cancellation technology that removes acoustic noise from a single microphone signal in real-world noisy environments, making the user's speech clear for mobile and embedded voice interfaces.
- mpClerk Real-time multi-speaker speech separation solution that separates speech from multiple speakers and removes background noise for automatic meeting minutes, speech enhancement, and far-field speech recognition in smart home, automotive, and smart office applications.
- AI Speech Preprocessing System (음성 전처리 시스템) AI-based speech enhancement system that selectively removes noise, echoes, and reflections while preserving user voice without distortion, applicable to robots, kiosks, smart home appliances, and vehicle infotainment systems for B2B integration.
- Factory Acoustic-based Defect Detection Solution (공장 내 음향 기반 불량검출 솔루션) Industrial quality-control solution that analyzes acoustic characteristics of products to detect defects in noisy production line environments, replacing traditional anechoic chamber inspection methods and improving productivity while reducing inspection costs.
Quantifiable outcome
- 100 elderly users (Seoul pilot) gave ClearSense Audio average satisfaction score of 5.8/7.0 on Likert scale, demonstrating practical hearing assistance efficacy
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use mpWAV lnc.
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
mpWAV lnc. technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability6 records
Feature7 records
mpWAV lnc. partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Dajin Semiconductor (대진반도체)coreMOU signed for joint business cooperation in AI voice and sound solution事業. The partnership covers two areas: (1) joint promotion of mpWAV's factory acoustic-based defect detection solution in the domestic market, replacing traditional anechoic chamber inspection methods; and (2) co-development of next-generation voice interface solutions and on-device AI voice services. Under the agreement, mpWAV handles AI voice and sound technology development while Dajin Semiconductor manages solution commercialization and market expansion leveraging its industrial and AI market customer network.
- Seoul Economic Promotion Agency (SBA) (서울경제진흥원)minormpWAV is a selected participant in SBA's Hi-Seoul Company Business Service Support Program, providing AI speech enhancement and robust speech recognition preprocessing solutions to other Hi-Seoul companies. Also jointly hosted the 2026 Hi-Seoul Company Business Briefing Session where mpWAV conducted business pitching.
- Hi-Seoul Enterprise Association (하이서울기업협회)minorCo-host of the 2026 Hi-Seoul Company Business Briefing Session with SBA, providing a platform for mpWAV to pitch its AI voice preprocessing technology and collaborative business model to 300+ Seoul SMEs.
- LG Electronics (LG전자)coreCollaboration through the AI Super Gap Challenge program ( jointly run by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups with LG Electronics and Qualcomm). mpWAV developed a low-latency, low-power speech preprocessing solution deployable in LG Electronics speakers, soundbars, and TVs, demonstrating capability to deliver high-quality conversational voice experiences in consumer products. This collaboration validates the technology's commercialization potential in consumer electronics.
- Qualcomm (퀄컴)coreCo-partner with LG Electronics in the AI Super Gap Challenge program. Qualcomm's involvement validates the technology's relevance for mobile and semiconductor platforms, supporting low-latency and low-power speech preprocessing implementations.
- Various Deep Tech Institutions (including KAIST System Semiconductor Industry Promotion Center, AI Industry Convergence Division)minorSeven major institutions including KAIST System Semiconductor Industry Promotion Center participated in the 2nd Deep Tech Convergence Networking Forum organized by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups and Startup Korea. mpWAV participated to explore tech cooperation and investment opportunities in deep tech fields including system semiconductors, bio-health, robotics, AI, quantum, and cybersecurity.
- Korea-Japan Industrial Technology Cooperation Foundation (한일산업기술협력재단)minorCo-host of the 2025 Korea-Japan IT Business Exchange in Sapporo, Japan (July 13–15, 2025). mpWAV participated in this exchange to introduce its AI-based speech preprocessing technology and strengthen networks with Japanese companies and institutions for future global market cooperation.
- Sapporo Industrial Promotion Foundation (삿포로산업진흥재단)minorCo-host of the 2025 Korea-Japan IT Business Exchange in Sapporo. mpWAV participated to build international partnerships and explore business collaborations in the Japanese market.
- Gwangju Metropolitan City (광주광역시)minorMOU with Gwangju City alongside 10 other AI companies for AI demonstration and commercialization cooperation. The city will support mpWAV in conducting proof-of-concept tests using Gwangju's AI infrastructure and facilitate industry integration to accelerate technology commercialization. Part of Gwangju's initiative to build an AI industry ecosystem.
- Chinese/Global Technology Company (MOU signed at World IT Show 2024)coreMOU signed with a Chinese global technology company during the 2024 World IT Show exhibition for technology cooperation, marking mpWAV's first concrete international business partnership. Details of the collaboration are not publicly specified beyond the MOU signing.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights7 records
mpWAV lnc. competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Oticon: Oticon (Demant) is a global hearing-aid leader with AI-driven speech enhancement (e.g., Polaris platform, MoreSound Intelligence). Comparable as the dominant medical-grade hearing-aid player whose technological direction and pricing shape the consumer alternative mpWAV is positioned against.
- Google (Sound Amplifier / Pixel hearing features): Google's Sound Amplifier on Pixel/Android and Live Caption provide free, OS-level hearing assistance and speech enhancement. Comparable as the Android-side incumbent delivering speech-clarity features without a separate app install.
- Apple (Live Listen / Sound Recognition): Apple bundles built-in hearing-assistance and sound-recognition features into iOS/iPhone for free. Directly comparable as a consumer-facing hearing enhancement surface and the dominant competitive alternative to ClearSense Audio on iOS.
- Dolby (Dolby Voice / Dialogue Enhancement): Dolby licenses speech-enhancement and dialogue-clarity technology across consumer electronics, automotive infotainment, and conferencing. Comparable as a B2B audio/speech-processing licensor competing for the same OEM/automotive design wins mpWAV is pursuing.
- Cerence (automotive voice AI): Cerence provides AI-powered voice and speech enhancement for in-car assistants and infotainment. Comparable as a B2B licensor of automotive-grade speech preprocessing technology, one of the verticals mpWAV explicitly targets.
- Sony (clear phase / noise reduction): Sony offers speech-enhancement and noise-reduction features in headphones and accessibility apps, competing in the same 'hear voices clearly in noisy environments' use case that ClearSense Audio targets via smartphone + earphones.
Regional players
- iFLYTEK: iFLYTEK is a leading Chinese speech/AI company with speech enhancement and recognition products. Comparable as a regionally dominant speech-AI platform with overlapping core technology and government-backed positioning similar to mpWAV's Korean government relationships.
Emerging players
- SoundHound (voice AI / Speech Enhancement): SoundHound provides voice AI and speech-enhancement technology for automotive, IoT, and customer-service applications. Comparable as a B2B voice/speech AI licensor targeting automotive and smart-device OEMs alongside mpWAV's enterprise pipeline.
- Whisper.ai: Whisper.ai is an AI hearing-aid startup using deep-learning denoising and speech separation. Closely comparable as a venture-backed player applying AI to hearing enhancement and competes for the same 'AI for hearing' narrative.
Direct peers
- Bose Hearphones: Bose Hearphones are consumer-targeted 'hearing-assist' earbuds that amplify conversations in noisy settings. Directly comparable to ClearSense Audio as a non-medical consumer hearing-assistance product addressing the same user pain points.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
mpWAV lnc. social profiles
Digital presencempWAV lnc. compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance11 records
mpWAV lnc. financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
mpWAV lnc. leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
mpWAV lnc. funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
mpWAV lnc. 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 mpWAV lnc.
What does mpWAV lnc. do?
mpWAV develops and sells AI-based speech preprocessing and audio enhancement technology, delivered primarily through its flagship consumer mobile app ClearSense Audio (깨끗耳) that reduces background noise and clarifies voices on smartphones using standard earphones. The company also licenses its proprietary mpAEC, mpBeamforming, and mpANC technologies to enterprise customers including consumer-electronics, automotive, robotics, and kiosk manufacturers for embedding voice interfaces into their products. Additional offerings include mpClerk for multi-speaker separation, an AI Speech Preprocessing System for B2B integration, and a factory acoustic defect detection solution targeting industrial quality control.
Is mpWAV lnc. a public or private company?
mpWAV lnc. is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was mpWAV lnc. founded?
mpWAV lnc. was founded in 2020. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is mpWAV lnc. based?
mpWAV lnc. is headquartered in Seoul (Mapo-gu), South Korea, in the Asia region.
How does mpWAV lnc. make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. ClearSense Audio Mobile App (Consumer) is the primary driver. The others are enterprise / B2B Licensing of AI Speech Preprocessing Technology, government / Public Procurement and factory Acoustic Defect Detection Solution.
Who are mpWAV lnc.'s main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Oticon, Google (Sound Amplifier / Pixel hearing features), Apple (Live Listen / Sound Recognition), Dolby (Dolby Voice / Dialogue Enhancement), Cerence (automotive voice AI) and Sony (clear phase / noise reduction). iFLYTEK is listed as a regional player. Emerging players are SoundHound (voice AI / Speech Enhancement) and Whisper.ai. Bose Hearphones is listed as a direct peer.
Does mpWAV lnc. have an API?
No public API is recorded for mpWAV lnc..
What industry is mpWAV lnc. in?
mpWAV lnc.'s product category is Audio and Speech Processing Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAAAFAG, Speech Enhancement & Noise Suppression (AEC/NR), with a secondary code of HDAAAJAF, On-Device Speech & Audio AI (wake word, ASR, enhancement). Its NAICS code is 33431 and its SIC code is 7372.