From filing a patent at the age of 14 to being the Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer at Camb.ai with his father, Akshat Prakash, has marked an inspirational journey so far. This young entrepreneur graduated from Carnegie Mellon University, USA, in 2019 and has been passionate about tech from an early age. In this interview, Akshat Prakash delves deep into his educational background, his passion, the core aspects of their brand, and the obstacles and triumphs he’s been facing to date.
A revolutionary name in the content industry, Camb.ai primarily focuses on providing global accessibility with no language barriers, ensuring equal opportunity for all. The brand is unique for offering hyper-realistic AI dubbing for creators – with over 78+ languages, providing their global reach at surprisingly lower costs. Akshat’s take on entrepreneurship and multiculturalism and his commitment to bringing top-notch innovative approaches offer valuable lessons to aspiring entrepreneurs in a similar industry.
Educational Background
We wanted to learn how Akshat started and all about his early life and education, so we asked, “Tell us something about you, your early life, and education.”
“From my earliest memories, I’ve been drawn to the art of mimicry, ranging to diverse kinds. A childhood attempt to set a Guinness Book World record for the loudest human bark might seem quirky. Still, it symbolizes my innate desire to understand and mirror the world around me, helping me connect profoundly with diversity and its innumerable expressions.
My curiosity was always met with encouragement from my parents, my biggest supporters. I started coding at 8 and even filed a patent at 14 for a life-saving wearable designed to assist auto crash victims.”
“Besides, I consider myself a global citizen. Though born in India, I spent formative years across the US and Ireland, only to return to India for high school. This journey helped me develop a deep understanding of cultural diversity. Later, I attended Carnegie Mellon University in the USA – regarded as the birthday of robotics and artificial intelligence – where I majored in Computer Science & Artificial Intelligence. Here, my research in generative methods and speech technologies solidified my trajectory in the tech realm.
My professional journey started at Apple, putting me at the heart of generative AI. Later, my first startup, Slingshot, combined my expertise in AI with my passion for education, developing a platform that utilized Natural Language Processing to scout STEM prodigies.
The pinnacle of my journey thus far is Camb.ai. Co-founded with my lifelong confidant and father, Avneesh, who leads the company with me being the Chief Technology Officer.” added Akshat Prakash.
Presence In The Industry
“Tell us about the business and its presence in the GCC.”
Akshat Prakash shared, “At Camb.ai, we’ve not only designed a platform but have sculpted a beacon for the future of zero-shot real-time localization. With the capability to flawlessly translate video, audio, and text across a vast spectrum of over 100 languages, our infrastructure doesn’t merely ensure precision—it guarantees hyper-realism and top-notch quality in the AI domain.
Dubai, a city synonymous with innovation and ambition, is where this revolutionary generative AI localization engine was conceived and brought to life. Camb.ai is our heartfelt ode to the city, which has drawn countless dreamers and innovators globally. Our work is a testament to this city’s boundless possibilities to those audacious enough to chase the ‘unthinkable.’
Our edge lies in the proprietary foundational models we’ve developed at Camb.ai. These models are distinguished by their unparalleled accuracy in colloquial translation, groundbreaking zero-shot cross-lingual voice cloning, and hyper-realistic video rectification. Our innovative design that thrives on minimal data sets us further apart, granting us a unique advantage, especially when dealing with low-resource languages.
The GCC region has rapidly emerged as a pivotal market for us. The discerning customers here recognize and deeply value the cutting-edge technology we bring, reinforcing our belief in the transformative power of Camb.ai.”
The Future Plans
To sneak peek into the expansion plans of Camb.ai., we asked, “What are some of the growth and expansion plans you have in your pipeline?”
Akshat Prakash replied, “The GCC region is a dynamic melting pot of opportunities where diverse industries converge and thrive. Given our strategic partnerships in the region, we’re uniquely poised to leverage our technology across various sectors. Our expansion plans are multifaceted. We envision our groundbreaking technology playing pivotal roles in areas like entertainment, where real-time localization can transform content accessibility; in sports, where linguistic barriers can be seamlessly bridged; in education, amplifying knowledge reach; and in healthcare, ensuring critical information is universally understood. As we look to the future, we focus on harnessing the region’s potential and driving innovation in sectors that touch the lives of millions.”
Meeting The Core Principles
Post Covid-19, businesses are going through a challenging phase. To learn what the year has brought for Camb.ai, we asked, “How has the year been for your company?”
“This year has been remarkable for Camb.ai on multiple fronts. Beyond the sheer growth metrics, it’s been an exhilarating journey witnessing our technology’s evolution and our teams’ collaborative spirit. We are successful in delivering our true work essence, solving the market challenges, which are readily embraced by our clientele. This interchange has sparked numerous “aha!” moments for us, and we believe, for our customers.
At Camb.ai, our guiding ethos is twofold: staying attuned to the market’s pulse and fostering an internal culture where every team member is galvanized to approach our client’s business with the same care and dedication as our own. Reflecting on the year, seeing these principles consistently bear fruit is heartening.
Our CEO, Avneesh Prakash, with his seasoned expertise in digital business and a track record of scaling global ventures, considers this phase of Camb.ai as one of the most thrilling chapters in his professional journey. The exceptional team we’ve built stands as a testament to that sentiment. We owe a debt of gratitude to our customers, partners, and groups for their unwavering trust and support.” shared Akshat.
Breaking Barriers For Creators Globally
We were intrigued to learn about the current services offered by Camb.ai. So we asked, “What does your business offer in the current competitive market?”
“The Internet was made for English Speakers; we have re-designed it for the world.”
- At Camb.ai, we recognize the power of native expression and the internet’s predominantly English-centric nature. In the current competitive market, we offer:
- Universal accessibility, ensuring that content creators worldwide can reach audiences in over 100 languages.
- Authentic content creation where creators can continue expressing their true selves in native expression while we handle seamless translation, keeping their essence intact.
- Our platform isn’t just about translation; it’s about localization. We understand the nuances of languages and cultures, ensuring content is relevant and resonates with local audiences.
- Irrespective of the creator’s reach, our Software-as-a-Service model is designed to scale according to your needs, offering flexibility and ease of integration.
- By eliminating language barriers, we’re helping our clients tap into newer markets and audience segments, giving them a competitive edge over competitors in the globalized market.
- Affordability and efficiency are what our services are primarily focused on. We offer cost-effective solutions, ensuring that creators and businesses of all sizes can benefit from our services without breaking the bank. Plus, our efficient translation and localization algorithms provide quick turnarounds.
In essence, Camb.ai is more than just a translation service. We’re a bridge connecting diverse cultures and languages in the digital age, empowering creators to reach a global audience.” replied Akshat Prakash.
Effective Teamwork
Having a solid team is an asset for the company. So we asked, “What measures do you think employees and organizations can take to build effective teamwork and unity?”
Akshat Prakash shared, “Building a team is crucial, and building a culture of teamwork is even more critical. We are a small and young team – a melting of cultures, languages, and countries. In our early practices, we ensured fostering transparency and clear communication within our team so that every person on the team has a clear view of our vision, the purpose, and the path ahead. These are the keys to achieving clarity.
We work hard, work strong – celebrate our successes together, and support each other when the chips seem down for someone. Building a cohesive team is essential, but fostering a culture of teamwork is paramount. And our small team is diverse – a fusion of vibrant cultures.
Akshat Prakash added, “I’m fortunate and blessed to lead an incredibly committed and dedicated team. We believe in managing KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) to maintain transparency and objectivity. Early identification of challenges, proactive collaboration, and mutual support are integral to our ethos. While each member has distinct roles and responsibilities, we all remain open to lending a hand in areas beyond our primary duties if it benefits the collective team output.
Together, we work diligently and passionately – celebrating our victories as a unit and lifting one another during challenging times.”
Investing in the Best Approaches
We were also curious to learn about the company’s approach to inculcating investments, majorly in innovative and research activities. We asked, “Tell us about the company’s focus and investment in research and innovation.”
“At Camb.ai, our primary focus lies in the sphere of Generative AI, specializing in language translation, speech, and video processes. We take pride in being the pioneers of establishing a comprehensive localization infrastructure, boasting coverage of over 100 languages. Our essence is rooted deeply in research and development, where we constantly challenge the frontiers of what’s possible, striving to redefine the state-of-the-art in our industry.” shared Akshat.
Advice To Beginners, we asked Akshat Prakash
Our last question was, “Any tips for startups looking to get onto a similar pathway?”
“Think big, plan well, have faith in your capabilities, and execute relentlessly with passion,” concluded Akshat.
Connect with Akshat Prakash on LinkedIn.
Find Camb.ai on LinkedIn or visit https://www.camb.ai.
