Respeecher: How a Ukrainian Startup Thrives in Hollywood Amid War Challenges

Respeecher is a synthetic voice technology startup co-founded by Alex Serdiuk in 2018 in Kyiv, Ukraine. The company specializes in creating high-quality synthetic voices using human actors. Respeecher quickly gained attention from Hollywood and worked on projects like The Mandalorian and Obi-Wan Kenobi. After the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the team faced challenges, including sending work from bomb shelters and relying on Starlink for internet access.

Serdiuk stated, “We were literally sending files from bomb shelters.” Despite the ongoing war and missile attacks on civilians, Serdiuk and his team remain focused on their work and continue to operate their business. Respeecher has won several awards, including six Emmy Awards.

The synthetic voice market is growing rapidly, expected to reach $645.6 million in the U.S. by 2033. Respeecher raised $4 million in funding from various investors, which helped them expand their team to 40 people. They are now moving from project-based sales to a synthetic voice platform that operates with approved user permissions.

Respeecher’s technology also serves healthcare. They developed voice technology to improve communication for laryngectomy patients. Additionally, the company partnered with Reality Defender to create audio deepfake detection tools.

In these challenging times, Serdiuk highlights the resilience of Ukrainians. He believes that continuing meaningful work can help draw attention to the situation in Ukraine. Respeecher aims to remind the world of these challenges through their innovative projects.