Cambridge UK-based speech recognition company Vocalis Plc says it is happy with its interim financial results due next week, and is concentrating on its expansion, suggesting that things are on the up. Vocalis reported losses for the year to March 31 of $3.2m, up from losses of $2m last time on revenue that grew 275% to $3.3m (CI No 3,194). The company, that competes solely in the telecommunications market, will not give away any clues as to the state of its six monthly figures, but has hinted that it may turn in a profit this time, and said its financial state is going very much to plan. Established in 1993, Vocalis floated on the London Stock Exchange last year, forming the first stage of an international expansion plan. Vocalis currently employs 66 staff, and plans to expand through a combination of organic growth and the forming of partnerships. To date, the most important of those relationships is with Swedish telecommunications firm LM Ericsson AB (CI No 3,276). Ericsson has signed agreements with Vocalis and its rival Bite Voice Systems Inc, the companies acting as dual suppliers offering speech recognition and processing software for Unix-based intelligent peripherals. One of Vocalis’ main areas of focus is implementing voice controlled systems, and it has identified the internet as a major money spinner in the future. The company intends to spend time developing voice technology to cater for the Internet and mobile computing as voice over the internet develops.
