Soapbox Labs

Elkstone first invested in SoapBox Labs during its seed funding round in 2017, contributing to the €1.2 million raised alongside Enterprise Ireland's High-Potential Start-up Fund and Astia Angels. This initial investment enabled the company to advance its technology and expand its team. In 2020, Elkstone led a $6.5 million Series A funding round, further supporting SoapBox Labs' international growth and the enhancement of its multilingual speech-recognition platform.

Alan Merriman, Principal at Elkstone Capital, highlighted the firm's commitment, stating, "Having supported SoapBox Labs from the start, Elkstone are very pleased to be part of this latest funding round. SoapBox Labs are truly at the leading edge globally of voice technology for kids." Elkstone's strategic partnership and continued financial backing were instrumental in positioning SoapBox Labs as a leader in voice technology for children, culminating in its acquisition by U.S.-based Curriculum Associates in November 2023.

Dr. Patricia Scanlon's journey to founding SoapBox Labs is a testament to her visionary innovation and dedication. With a Ph.D. in speech recognition and over two decades of experience at renowned institutions like Bell Labs and IBM, Patricia identified a critical gap in voice technology: existing systems were ill-equipped to understand children's unique speech patterns. Motivated by her eldest child's interactions with technology, she established SoapBox Labs in 2013 to develop accurate and child-centric voice AI solutions. Under her leadership, the company has become a global leader in ethical voice AI for children, earning accolades such as Forbes' recognition of Patricia as one of the world's top 50 women in tech in 2018.

In 2022, her contributions were further acknowledged when she was appointed as Ireland's first AI Ambassador, reflecting her commitment to advancing responsible AI practices. Elkstone is proud to have supported Patricia and SoapBox Labs from their early stages, witnessing firsthand the transformative impact of her work on children's technology experiences worldwide.