Summary:
InnoCaption has acquired CaptionMate, a mobile call captioning service for the deaf and hard of hearing, to enhance accessibility for users through InnoCaption’s support and expertise.
Key Takeaways:
- FCC Support: Both InnoCaption and CaptionMate provide free call captioning services, funded and certified by the FCC, to eligible users.
- Language Accessibility: CaptionMate’s app supports over 100 languages and allows interface changes to multiple languages, broadening accessibility.
- Commitment to Continuity: CaptionMate will operate as a standalone service under InnoCaption, with its founder advising during the transition to maintain service quality.
InnoCaption, a mobile call captioning technology provider for the deaf and hard of hearing community, has completed the acquisition of CaptionMate. Certified and funded by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), both InnoCaption and CaptionMate provide eligible end users with free mobile app-based call captioning services. CaptionMate uses advanced automated speech recognition technology to provide real-time captions of phone calls for users in more than 100 languages and offers unique features like the ability to change the mobile app interface language to Spanish, Chinese, or Vietnamese.
Further Reading: Phone Captioning App Improves Communication for Users with Hearing Loss
With the closing of this acquisition, CaptionMate will be supported by the InnoCaption team as a standalone service. InnoCaption will continue to manage and support CaptionMate’s users by utilizing the engineering and customer service expertise of the InnoCaption team. Beryl Bucher, founder and CEO of CaptionMate, will serve in a temporary advisory capacity to the InnoCaption team to ensure a smooth transition of service.
“We have been impressed with the CaptionMate team’s technology platform and focus on high quality service to their user base,” says Paul Lee, InnoCaption’s chief operating officer. We are excited to welcome CaptionMate and their users to the InnoCaption family and continue to provide the best call captioning experience possible.”
Further Reading: InnoCaption Report Highlights Communication Difficulties for Hearing Impaired During Pandemic
“We felt that InnoCaption and CaptionMate had a strong alignment of mission and values,” adds Bucher. “Today’s acquisition ensures that our users will be well-supported and that we will see our investment in advancing accessibility continue through this next phase of CaptionMate’s journey.”
Both InnoCaption and CaptionMate are privately held.
About InnoCaption
InnoCaption is a caption phone service that offers real-time captioning of phone calls through automated speech recognition technology and live stenographers. The InnoCaption mobile app is available on iOS and Android devices, and the service is free of charge to anyone in the United States with hearing loss who needs captions to understand their phone calls. As an FCC-certified provider, InnoCaption receives compensation from the federal Telecommunication Relay Services Fund for providing call captioning services. InnoCaption is headquartered in Irvine, California, and its mission is to provide the best accessible telecommunication technology to the deaf and hard-of-hearing community. To learn more, visit www.innocaption.com.
