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Some Conversations are Too Important to Miss Language barriers can create significant challenges across a variety of sectors including education, healthcare, emergency services, national and local government, and logistics. Pocketalk is on a mission to remove those obstacles with its AI-powered translation solutions. UC Advanced spoke with Matt Steel, Business Development Manager UK, Pocketalk, to discuss the company’s journey, its impact on public services, and its role in supporting multilingual classrooms.
Q Can you tell us about Pocketalk and how it started? Pocketalk was created to enable seamless communication across languages, breaking down barriers that limit opportunities and understanding. Initially, our focus was on travel and business, providing a simple and effective way for people to communicate across more than 84 languages. However, as global challenges evolved, so did our mission. The pandemic highlighted the urgent need for real-time translation in business whether in healthcare, emergency care, public services, or education, pushing us to refine and expand our solutions.
Q How has Pocketalk adapted? The pandemic reshaped the way people work. Businesses that were once restricted to local talent could attract skills from anywhere in the world. With that opportunity came language challenges. We pivoted to ensure Pocketalk could serve as a vital tool for global communication, incorporating our Ventana software, a secure, centralised administration panel. Our technology has since been deployed in hospitals, schools and other sectors, ensuring that people who speak different languages receive clear, accurate information. Q What role does Pocketalk play in education? We were at BETT this year, one of the world’s largest education conferences, as we know that language diversity in schools is growing, with many students speaking English as an additional language (EAL). Some schools we work with have almost 100% EAL students. Pocketalk is helping educators create more inclusive learning environments by allowing teachers and students to communicate more effectively. Our technology supports instant, accurate, two-way translation, bridging gaps in understanding and helping students feel more confident in the classroom. It alleviates teaching and support staff
Matt Steel Business Development Manager UK
pocketalk.com
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