Mobile messaging platform Line and enterprise software producer Salesforce have exited US-based speech recognition technology developer TalkIQ in an acquisition of undisclosed size by cloud communication software producer Dialpad.
Founded in 2014, TalkIQ has developed technology that can recognise speech and process natural language in real time. It will be added to Dialpad’s communications product suite, and TalkIQ CEO Dan O’Connell will be general manager of Dialpad’s VoiceAI division.
Salesforce unit Salesforce Ventures joined Line, Scale Venture Partners, Aspect Ventures, Danhua Capital and Felicis Ventures for TalkIQ’s $14m series A round in September 2017. Felicis Ventures, Atomic, SV Angel, Polaris Partners and Cherubic Ventures had invested $7m in the company the year before.
Craig Walker, chief executive of Dialpad, said: “AI-driven voice analytics represents a massive untapped opportunity in communications and we are bringing it to life with TalkIQ’s unmatched technology and engineering talent.”