Voxeo
Orlando, Fla.-based Voxeo has acquired Motorola's OEM VoiceXML browser business as well as exclusive rights to Motorola's VoxGateway VoiceXML browser. In turn, Voxeo is licensing the technology back to Motorola so it can use it in its phones and other gadgets.
The VoiceXML technology is an application based on the XML language for encoding documents electronically. VoiceXML formats voice communication between a human and a machine. It lets voice apps to be created in a standard fashion.
Voxeo lets you get your bank balances, flight schedules, and movie times via voice commands on the phone, using web technology. Beyond that, it helps companies run their phone systems using Internet voice technology. It lets customers interact with a company by voice, instant messenger, text message, video, web chat, social media and other means.
The company has worked closely with Motorola since 2004 to develop the voice-based VoxGateway platform. Now the two companies have licensed their technology to each other and transferred the ownership to Voxeo.
Voxeo has more than 45,000 customers. It was founded in 1999 and has 140 employees. It competes with rivals such as Genesys, Convergys/Intervoice, and Microsoft's Tellme subsidiary. Voxeo is profitable and has tripled its revenues over the past five years. The company has been privately held since a management buyout in 2004. The company is planning to sell stock in the coming weeks to raise $50 million.