The Irvine, Calif-based accessibility technology company announces a leadership transition as it celebrates a decade of serving people with hearing loss, with COO Paul Lee ascending to CEO.
InnoCaption, an AI-enabled accessibility technology company, has surpassed 30 million captioned phone calls and is marking 10 years since the launch of its flagship call captioning app. Over the past decade, the company says it has grown its active user base 44x, serving hundreds of thousands of people who are Deaf and hard of hearing. Alongside that milestone, InnoCaption is announcing a planned leadership transition to guide its next phase of growth.
Founder and co-CEO Joseph Lee will move into the role of chairman of the board, where he will focus on long-term vision, governance, and mentorship. Co-CEO Joe Duarte will become vice chairman of the board, continuing his advocacy for accessibility and stewardship of the company’s mission.
Paul Lee, who has served as chief operating officer since joining InnoCaption in 2020, has been appointed CEO. In that role, he will assume responsibility for day-to-day operations, product strategy, and continued expansion. He will also continue serving on the company’s board of directors. Paul Lee has led several key initiatives during his tenure, including rebuilding the InnoCaption app from the ground up starting in 2022, overseeing the acquisition of CaptionMate — a call captioning app offering captions in over 100 languages — and directing the development of AI-powered text-to-speech features.
Additionally, Cristina Duarte has been promoted to VP of regulatory affairs, recognizing her work in strengthening relationships with external stakeholders including the Federal Communications Commission and InnoCaption’s user community. She will also serve as a board observer.
“Reaching 30 million captioned calls is about much more than a number,” says Joseph Lee, founder and co-CEO of InnoCaption, in a release. “Every one of those calls represents a conversation that helped someone connect with family, speak with a doctor, interview for a job, or simply participate more fully in everyday life. That’s always been our mission.”
The anniversary comes as hearing loss continues to be a significant public health concern. More than 50 million Americans experience some degree of hearing loss, and the total number of people with hearing loss worldwide is projected to reach 2.5 billion by 2050, according to the company.
Beyond the CaptionMate acquisition and text-to-speech features, InnoCaption has also launched InnoCaption Video, a video calling app built with accessibility in mind, reflecting the company’s effort to keep pace with the broader shift toward digital and internet-based communication.
“As advancements in AI technology continue to reshape what is possible for us to deliver, we see an enormous opportunity to make conversations even more accessible, natural, and inclusive,” says Paul Lee, incoming CEO, in a release. “Our focus remains the same as it was ten years ago: using technology to help people connect.”
Founded in 2007 and based in Irvine, Calif, InnoCaption remains fully owned by the Lee and Duarte families. The company is FCC-certified and funded through the Telecommunications Relay Service fund, making its service free for eligible users. Looking ahead, InnoCaption says it plans to continue investing in accessibility technologies that remove barriers to telecommunication and expand access for people with hearing loss or speech disabilities.
Featured image: InnoCaption leadership team Paul Lee, Joseph Lee, Joe Duarte, and Cristina Duarte. Photo: InnoCaption
