Portugal-based language processing and translation software provider Unbabel received $23m in series B funding today from investors including software supplier Microsoft, consumer electronics manufacturer Samsung and enterprise software producer Salesforce.
The corporates, which took part through their Microsoft Ventures, Samsung Next and Salesforce Ventures units, were joined by venture capital firm Scale Venture Partners, which led the round, as well as Caixa Capital, Funders Club and Notion Capital.
Founded in 2013, Unbabel has built a platform that utilises artificial intelligence technology to translate text and messages into different languages. It also uses a 50,000-strong community of linguists to double check messages to ensure phrasing is correct.
The software is generally used for customer service and is compatible with cloud-based offerings including Salesforce’s customer relationship management platform.
Samsung Next principal Nick Nigam told TechCrunch in a statement: “We are attracted by technologies that break down geographic barriers. Unbabel, with its ever-decreasing cost per word, is enabling borderless communication in a professional, scalable and affordable manner.”
The round boosted Unbabel’s overall funding to $31m and came after a $5m round in late 2016 that was co-led by Notion Capital and Caixa Capital, the VC branch of financial services firm La Caixa, and backed by Faber Ventures and Schilling Capital Partners.
DG Incubation, a subsidiary of internet company Digital Garage, joined assorted angel investors to provide $1.5m in funding for the company in 2014, before enterprise software producer Workday revealed the following year that it was also an investor.
GV, the corporate venturing unit formerly known as Google Ventures, is also among Unbabel’s investors, according to the company’s website, as are IDG Capital, Caffeinated Capital, Y Combinator and Matrix Partners.