Sanas, a pioneering company in AI-driven speech technology, has secured $65 million in a funding round, catapulting its valuation to over $500 million. Founded in 2020 by Maxim Serebryakov, Shawn Zhang, and Andrés Soderi, Sanas specializes in developing software that transforms a speaker's accent in real-time, enabling seamless communication across diverse linguistic backgrounds. The company plans to leverage this fresh capital to expand its technological capabilities and geographical reach.
Sanas operates in a burgeoning sector that could be worth an estimated $28.1 billion by 2027, according to Markets and Markets. The technology analyzes speech and outputs converted speech that matches a specified accent, reducing potential communication barriers. Co-founder and president Sharath Keshava Narayana, who joined Sanas in 2021 after co-founding call center startup Observe.ai, brings significant experience in accent neutralization training. His inspiration stemmed from personal encounters with accent bias, notably the experience of Max and Shawn’s friend Raul, who faced accent discrimination at his call center job.
“Together with my co-founders, we’re building a world where communication is a bridge — not a barrier,” – Sharath Keshava Narayana
Sanas has successfully attracted around 50 customers across various industries such as healthcare, logistics, and hardware manufacturing. The company's annual recurring revenue has reached $21 million, marking a $3 million increase from the previous year. To date, Sanas has raised over $100 million in capital, underscoring investor confidence in its innovative approach and market potential. The acquisition of InTone, a competitor, further strengthens Sanas' intellectual property portfolio and positions it to serve a broader customer base.
“What sets Sanas apart is the company’s patented AI technologies, which recognize phonetic patterns and adjust them instantly while keeping the speaker’s unique identity intact,” – Sharath Keshava Narayana
The company is poised for further growth with plans to develop new "speech-to-speech" algorithms and open a new office in the Philippines, home to millions of contact centers. This strategic move aims to tap into the country's vast customer service market. Currently, Sanas employs approximately 150 people and intends to expand its team to support its ambitious growth objectives.
Sanas' AI models are trained with over 50 million utterances of speech using datasets collected from technology partners and in-house voice actors. This robust training framework ensures high accuracy in accent conversion while preserving the speaker's unique voice characteristics. Narayana emphasizes that Sanas' mission extends beyond technological innovation; it seeks to enhance human connection by breaking down communication barriers and reducing discrimination globally.
“What makes Sanas special is not just the technology, but its deeply human mission to break barriers, reduce discrimination, and amplify voices across the globe,” – Sharath Keshava Narayana
“At Sanas, we believe that while technology is transforming the industry, it shouldn’t replace human connection, but rather, enhance it,” – Sharath Keshava Narayana
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