News / Acquisitions
Bristol-headquartered communication tech firm scores hat-trick of acquisitions
A Bristol-headquartered tech firm specialising in communication technologies for people with speech difficulties has marked a major milestone with the acquisition of three counterparts.
Smartbox Assistive Technology, based near Park Street on Hill Street, designs software, hardware, and support services for people who struggle with speech, helping them communicate and live more independently through Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) technology.
The company, which has around 670 staff in its facilities around the world, has recently acquired German AI eye-tracking firm GazeFirst, marking its third acquisition in six weeks.
Bristol-based Smartbox welcoming the German counterparts at GazeFirst
Based in Frankfurt, GazeFirst will form a dedicated eye gaze division within Smartbox’s research and development team, strengthening its capabilities in AI-powered assistive communication.
Its flagship product, the Eyetuitive camera, uses on-device AI to deliver fast, secure eye-tracking, a breakthrough for AAC users.
Mathias Anhalt, founder of GazeFirst, commented: “I’m excited about the opportunity to scale Eyetuitive and make it accessible to a very wide user base, enabling us to reach far more customers than we could on our own.”
This move follows the acquisitions of Zyteq, an Australian AAC provider and ATtherapy, a UK-based speech and language therapy service focused on children with communication difficulties resulting from brain injuries and physical disabilities.
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Dougal Hawes, chief executive of Smartbox Group, said: “Everyone at Smartbox is excited by the news that Zyteq will be joining our global group of AAC companies.
“We’ve worked with Tracey and her team for nearly 20 years, so it’s a very natural next step in our mission to provide people across the world with a voice.”
Founded in 2008, Zyteq is based in Melbourne and brings a team of 15 experienced specialists to Smartbox. The acquisition expects to establish Smartbox’s presence in the southern hemisphere.
Tracey Bode, founder of Zyteq, added: “The business is strong, the leadership is in excellent hands, and I truly believe this next chapter will be the most exciting yet for Zyteq. There’s a part of me that would love to stick around and see it all unfold — but I’m also ready to step back and let this new era take shape.”
It is estimated that 46 million people worldwide could benefit from AAC, but only one to two per cent currently have access.
All photos: Smartbox
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