Skrivanek Translations

What Skrivanek Translations does

Skrivanek Translations (legal entity: Übersetzungsdienst Skrivanek GmbH) is a privately held, founder-controlled language services firm headquartered in Berlin, Germany. Founded in 1994 in Prague by Pavel Skrivanek, the company operates from offices in Berlin, Brussels, Paris, Amsterdam and Prague, with the wider group represented in 13 countries, and runs a network of over 3,000 vetted translators, interpreters and proofreaders delivering professional translation, certified/sworn translation, interpretation (simultaneous and consecutive in 80+ languages), subtitling, desktop publishing, multilingual SEO and transcreation across more than 100 languages and 50+ specialization areas.

The technical stack is built around established Computer-Aided Translation (CAT) tools — SDL Trados, Across, MemoQ, Transit and Memsource — combined with Translation Memory databases, client-specific terminology management systems, and a language-engineering capability that integrates translation workflows directly into client editorial and content management systems. Five ISO certifications underpin the offering: ISO 9001 (since 2002), ISO 27001 (since 2012), ISO 14001, ISO 17100 (since 2016), and ISO 18587 (since 2021) for machine-translation post-editing. The group was ranked among the Global Top 50 language service providers by CSA Research in 2018.

Commercially, Skrivanek operates a sales-led, quote-based model with no public pricing or SaaS subscription mechanics. Revenue is generated per word translated, per interpreting assignment, and per project for certified translations and DTP, with surcharges for expedited delivery and a €50 minimum order value. Distribution is direct — multilingual websites, regional offices and trade fair participation in France, the Netherlands and Belgium — serving both large international corporations in financial services, healthcare, legal, technical/manufacturing and IT verticals, and smaller regional clients requiring legal and administrative certified translations.

Name

Skrivanek Translations

Legal name

Übersetzungsdienst Skrivanek GmbH

Website

https://skrivanek.be

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Skrivanek Translations is a privately held Berlin-based language services firm, founded 1994 in Prague, providing professional translation, certified translation, interpretation, subtitling, and localization in 100+ languages via a 3,000+ translator network across 13 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Translation and Language Services

NAICS

Translation and Interpretation Services (541930), Translation and Interpretation Services (54193), Teleproduction and Other Postproduction Services (512191)

SIC

Services-Advertising (7310), Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAFAIAH

Content Localization, Translation & Transcreation

Business & Public Services/Marketing, Advertising & PR Services/Content Marketing & Production (Copy, Video, Design)

SECONDARYMPAHAFAD

Translation & Transcreation Services (Script/Dialogue Adaptation)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Media Technology & Services (Post-Production, VFX, Animation, Streaming Infrastructure)/Localization & Versioning (Subtitling, Dubbing, QC)

SECONDARYMPAAANAH

Multilingual Multimedia Localization (Subtitling, Dubbing, Voiceover)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Advertising, Marketing & PR Services/Marketing Localization & Transcreation Services

Keywords

• Professional translation services
• Certified sworn translation
• Localization services
• Interpretation services
• Multilingual desktop publishing

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Translation Services: Per-word pricing for professional translations. Standard rates apply for texts up to 2,000 words per workday. Surcharges of 25% apply for volumes exceeding this limit, and 50% surcharge for deliveries within 24 hours. Minimum order value of €50 per assignment.
2. Interpreting Services: Charged based on assignment with cancellation policy: free up to 14 days before first assignment, 50% from 13-7 days before, 100% from day 6 onwards.
3. DTP/Graphic Services: Desktop publishing and graphic design services in over 100 languages and all formats.
4. Certified/Authenticated Translations: Official sworn/certified translations for legal and administrative documents.
5. Post-Editing Services: Post-editing of machine-translated texts by human translators, certified under ISO 18587.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Skrivanek Translations is a full-service language solutions provider offering professional translation, certified/sworn translation, interpretation (simultaneous and consecutive in 80+ languages), subtitling, multilingual SEO translation, and localization (website, software, video game, graphic) across 100+ languages and 50+ specialization domains. Services are delivered by a global network of 3,000+ vetted native-speaker translators and supported by CAT tools, Translation Memory, terminology management, and language engineering integration with client content management systems. The company also offers automatic translation with ISO 18587-certified human post-editing, DTP/desktop publishing in 100+ languages, transcreation, and revision/proofreading.

Product overview

Skrivanek Translations is a full-service language solutions provider offering professional translation, interpretation, and localization services across 100+ languages and 50+ specialization domains. The core offering includes professional translation (technical, medical, financial, legal, marketing, scientific), certified translations, interpretation (simultaneous and consecutive in 80+ languages), subtitling, and multilingual SEO translation. The company operates a global network of over 3,000 professional translators and integrates advanced technology platforms including CAT tools (SDL Trados, Across, MemoQ, Transit, Memsource) for translation memory and terminology consistency, terminology management systems for client-specific glossary building, and language engineering services that connect directly to client editorial and content management systems. Supporting services include automatic/machine translation with ISO 18587-certified human post-editing, revision/proofreading, DTP/desktop publishing in 100+ languages, and transcreation. A client portal enables project submission and tracking.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Professional Translation Services Core translation services delivered by professional native-speaker translators across 100+ language combinations and 50+ specialization areas, covering technical, medical, financial, marketing, legal, and scientific content. Delivered using CAT tools with Translation Memory support.
• Certified/Sworn Translation Officially certified translations accepted by courts, embassies, consulates, and government authorities for legal and administrative documents.
• Interpretation Services On-site and online interpretation in over 80 languages, including simultaneous and consecutive interpretation for international conferences, business meetings, and institutional events.
• Subtitling Services Professional subtitle translation for video content, ensuring accurate timing, localization, and readability across target language markets.
• SEO/Multilingual SEO Translation Translation optimized for search engines in multiple languages, combining linguistic expertise with SEO best practices for international digital presence.
• Localization Services Full localization services including website localization, software localization, video game localization, and graphic localization, adapting products culturally and technically for target markets.
• Automatic Translation (Machine Translation) with Post-Editing AI-powered machine translation combined with human post-editing (ISO 18587 certified since 2021), accelerating translation turnaround while maintaining quality through professional post-editors.
• DTP/Desktop Publishing Services Professional page layout and graphic design in over 100 languages, preparing translated documents for print and digital while maintaining original formatting.
• Transcreation Creative translation service adapting marketing and advertising content to resonate with target culture while preserving intent, tone, and style.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% customer recommendation rate based on customer survey
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability6 records

Feature5 records

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Lionbridge: Global LSP and content localization provider serving enterprise clients with translation, interpretation, and AI data services. Directly comparable business model to Skrivanek with translation, localization, and machine translation post-editing offerings.
• RWS Holdings: London-listed language and IP services provider combining translation services with proprietary Trados CAT technology. Highly comparable to Skrivanek in translation services, technology platform, and enterprise focus, though RWS owns the CAT tool stack.
• Acolad: European LSP offering translation, localization, and content services across multiple industries. Directly comparable to Skrivanek in mid-market European translation services and certified translation offerings.
• Welocalize: US-headquartered global LSP serving enterprise clients with translation, localization, and content services. Directly comparable multi-CAT tool approach, network-of-translators model, and enterprise customer segments.
• LanguageLine Solutions: Largest interpretation services provider globally, offering translation and localization in 240+ languages. Comparable to Skrivanek's certified translation and interpretation services, particularly with government and enterprise clients.
• Keywords Studios: Specialized in game localization, translation, and multimedia services (subtitling, dubbing, voiceover). Comparable to Skrivanek's subtitling, localization, and media-related translation services, particularly for entertainment and gaming clients.
• TransPerfect: World's largest language services provider offering translation, localization, and interpretation across 200+ languages. Direct competitor to Skrivanek in enterprise translation, certified translation, and global LSP services, though at much larger scale.

Emerging players

• Smartling: Technology-driven translation platform offering TMS, CAT, and managed translation services. Competes with Skrivanek in enterprise translation services but differentiates through proprietary SaaS platform rather than pure service model.
• Pactera EDGE: Global digital and localization services provider with strengths in AI-enabled translation and content workflows. Comparable to Skrivanek's machine translation post-editing and language engineering capabilities.

Regional players

• Semantix: Nordic-headquartered LSP serving Scandinavian and broader European markets with translation and localization services. Comparable business model and target customer profile to Skrivanek's European operations, with similar ISO-certified service offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/skrivanek-translation-services

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Skrivanek Translations