Acapela, a new startup from Dublin, has been launched by the founders of the ‘human-powered’ transcription service, Happy Scribe. The company aims to empower content creators with an innovative new tool that utilises synthetic voices for dubbing purposes. Acapela’s platform allows users to select from a range of digital voices, each with its own specific accent, style, and language. This is a significant departure from traditional voiceover methods, offering a more cost-effective and efficient alternative.

The startup has secured €2.5 million in pre-seed funding, with the backing of several high-profile investors. Notably, Point Nine Capital and LocalGlobe led the round, joined by angel investors such as Xavier Niel and Charlie Songhurst. The funding will be used to develop the product and expand the team.

Acapela’s service is already proving popular. Within a week of its launch, over 1,000 companies signed up to use the platform. The startup’s co-founder, André Bastié, believes that this rapid uptake is a testament to the demand for new, innovative voiceover solutions. The service is particularly appealing to content creators, marketers, and businesses looking to internationalise their content without the high costs associated with traditional dubbing services.

Go to source article: https://techcrunch.com/2020/10/21/acapela/