By purchasing EzDubs, a Y-Combinator-backed startup renowned for its state-of-the-art real-time translating technology, Cisco has made a major advancement in business collaboration. By adding live, voice-preserving translation capabilities that provide smooth multilingual communication, the acquisition is expected to improve Cisco’s Collaboration suite, which includes Webex. The move highlights Cisco’s dedication to AI-driven innovation in the workplace, even though the terms of the transaction were not made public.
Founded in 2023 by Padmanabhan Krishnamurthy, Amrutavarsh Kinagi, and Kareem Nassar, EzDubs quickly gained attention for its innovative approach to translation. Nassar, a former member of Cisco’s Speech AI group, brought deep experience in AI-driven communication to the startup. EzDubs raised $4.2 million in seed funding from investors including Venture Highway, Replit’s leadership, and other tech founders. The platform’s technology ensures that meetings maintain their organic flow while supporting over 30 languages while maintaining the speaker’s original voice and emotional tone. This characteristic sets it apart from other translation solutions.
Cisco intends to incorporate EzDubs translation technology into its Collaboration suite, which consists of both software and hardware products. This implies that Webex users will soon be able to hold multilingual meetings in real time without missing the nuances of voice, tone, or emotion.
Cisco also suggested that partners and developers might have access to the technology, creating new opportunities for AI-powered multilingual tools in business settings. The EzDubs team will collaborate closely with Cisco’s product, engineering, and go-to-market teams to reimagine collaboration in global workplaces, according to Snorre Kjesbu, Senior Vice President of Collaboration at Cisco.
As part of the transition, EzDubs will sunset its consumer applications by December 15, 2025. Call translation and video dubbing were already enabled by these apps, but the move to enterprise integration emphasizes the expanding need and potential for profit in business communication. According to market assessments, the translation services industry is estimated to be worth $40 billion, indicating significant growth prospects as companies expand into foreign markets.
The acquisition also mirrors a wider trend in the translation and AI collaboration industry. Enterprise-focused AI translation is becoming a competitive and quickly growing area, as evidenced by recent transactions like Palabra AI’s acquisition of Talo and TransPerfect’s acquisition of Unbabel. Cisco solidifies its position in this market by integrating EzDubs technology, which provides users with more effective and accessible multilingual communication.
Overall, Cisco’s acquisition of EzDubs highlights the company’s strategic focus on innovation, inclusivity, and global collaboration. By combining Cisco’s robust Collaboration suite with EzDubs translation tech, enterprise teams can look forward to smoother multilingual meetings, enhanced productivity, and communication that feels natural and connected. With this integration, Cisco is poised to lead the way in AI-driven, real-time translation for enterprise communication.
