YC-Backed Ezdubs Targets Consumer Translation Market

The Expanding Global Translation Service Market

The worldwide market for translation services is currently valued at approximately $40 billion, as estimated by industry analysts. A substantial portion of this market is comprised of services geared towards businesses and enterprises.

While consumer-facing applications such as Google Translate and Apple Translate are widely used, they currently lack functionality for real-time translation during phone calls or voice messages.

Introducing EzDubs: Bridging the Communication Gap

EzDubs, a startup supported by Y Combinator, aims to address this limitation by offering an application that facilitates translation for calls, voice messages, and text-based communication across more than 30 languages.

The company was established in 2023 by Padmanabhan Krishnamurthy, Amrutavarsh Kinagi, and Kareem Nassar. Krishnamurthy and Kinagi initially connected during their studies in Hong Kong, where they collaborated on a project designed to convert speech into text for individuals with hearing impairments.

From Speech AI to Real-Time Translation

In 2021, the pair continued their work at Columbia University, shifting their focus to video dubbing. There, they encountered Nassar, who at the time was leading Cisco’s Speech AI Group while simultaneously pursuing a master’s degree.

Nassar’s expertise lies in real-time speech AI technologies; he previously founded Voicea, a meeting intelligence startup later acquired by Cisco. The three founders formally launched EzDubs after participating in the 2023 Y Combinator program, equipped with a dubbing model and a preliminary translation tool.

Early Traction with Social Media Bots

EzDubs initially developed a bot for Twitter/X, capable of translating video clips posted on the platform. Released in January 2023, the bot allows users to request translations by mentioning it in their posts.

This bot has garnered over 340,000 followers and processes more than 500 dub requests daily, with translated videos accumulating over a million views each day.

A similar bot was subsequently launched on WhatsApp in July 2023, enabling users to translate voice messages and videos. However, this required forwarding messages to the bot and then re-sending the translated version.

The Development of the EzDubs Application

To streamline this process and establish a more robust communication channel, the company developed its dedicated application, which was released in an early version this year.

“We were advised by partners at Y Combinator that resolving the challenge of communication latency across languages would have a greater impact than focusing solely on video,” Krishnamurthy explained, highlighting the decision to prioritize a communication app.

App Features and Functionality

The EzDubs application, available for both iOS and Android devices, provides real-time translation during calls, supporting 30 different languages. Users can communicate with individuals who speak a different language and receive instant translations.

Notably, the recipient does not need to have the EzDubs app installed to participate in the translated call. The app also supports translation for text, voice, and video messages.

While translated messages can be shared externally via links, the founders believe that existing platforms like WhatsApp and iMessage are insufficient for users who frequently communicate in multiple languages.

User Engagement and Key Use Cases

EzDubs reports that many users utilize the app for hundreds of calls per day, with an average call duration of 17 minutes. Common use cases include individuals dating across cultures and professionals communicating with locals while traveling abroad.

Underlying Technology

The startup’s technology is built upon two core models: one for voice cloning that preserves emotional nuance, and another dedicated to translation.

The translation model is designed to handle interruptions and initiate translation internally without requiring the speaker to complete an entire sentence.

Seed Funding and Investor Support

EzDubs has secured $4.2 million in seed funding, led by Venture Highway, founded by former WhatsApp CBO Neeraj Arora.

Additional investors include Y Combinator partner Jared Friedman, Replit CEO Amjad Masad, Replit president Michele Catasta, Applied Intuition CEO Qasar Younis, and Replicate CEO Ben Firshman, backed by a16z.

Future Outlook and Expansion Plans

Friedman emphasized that EzDubs is paving the way for widespread access to translation tools. He also expressed confidence in the team, citing their extensive experience in speech and language technologies.

“Currently, access to high-quality translation services is largely restricted to corporations and government organizations. EzDubs is working to democratize access to these services through its application,” Friedman stated.

He further noted that language barriers can hinder efficient communication even within companies, and EzDubs has the potential to eliminate these obstacles.

The company is preparing to launch a feature that allows users to initiate EzDubs calls by scanning a QR code, eliminating the need to download the app. They also aim to develop EzDubs into a default phone calling application, capable of handling incoming calls.

Looking ahead, EzDubs plans to create extensions for popular communication platforms such as Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and Slack.