DeepL is acquiring Mixhalo, a startup focused on real-time audio streaming and translation for live events, as the German company pushes beyond text and voice translation into conference and venue settings. The deal is intended to expand DeepL’s product reach and showcase its technology in environments where audiences need live interpretation on the spot.
Mixhalo was founded in 2016 by Incubus guitarist Mike Einziger, violinist Ann Marie Simpson-Einziger, and Vik Singh, who serves as chief executive. The company originally aimed to improve the concert experience by giving attendees better audio access, but it later broadened into sports and live event streaming. Over time, it developed tools that let audiences receive audio in real time on their phones, including translation at events where speakers may use a different language from the crowd.
The startup has raised more than $39 million from investors including Fortress Investment, Founders Fund, Defy Partners, and Cowboy Ventures. Mixhalo already used DeepL as its main translation provider, according to the company, which helped set the stage for the acquisition.
Singh said the overlap between the two companies became clearer through direct conversation and existing customer ties. He described the fit as spanning event applications, APIs, meetings, document translation, and live audio use cases.
DeepL has long been known for text translation, but in recent years it has been building out voice products. In 2024, the company introduced voice-to-text translation in more than 33 languages. Earlier this year, it launched a voice-to-voice translation suite aimed at use cases such as multilingual meetings.
By adding Mixhalo, DeepL is gaining a way to move more visibly into the live event market, where translation can be delivered in real time to attendees in a conference hall, arena, or auditorium. DeepL chief executive Jarek Kutylowski said Mixhalo will serve both as a product and as a demonstration platform for DeepL’s technology. He said it will help the company show how its tools perform in settings where people are physically present and need immediate access to translated audio.
The acquisition also has a geographic component. Kutylowski said DeepL will open an office in San Francisco as part of its effort to expand its U.S. business. Mixhalo is based in the city, and the new office gives DeepL a stronger foothold in the Bay Area.
Mixhalo competes with companies including Wordly AI and Palabra, which is backed by Seven Seven Six. The acquisition may help DeepL bring additional resources to a market that has become more crowded as AI translation tools have improved and live voice models proliferate.
Singh said the growing number of voice models entering the market gave Mixhalo more options to integrate and compare performance. At the same time, he said the expansion of large model providers creates pricing pressure and could make it harder for smaller companies to defend their space over time.
DeepL’s move suggests it sees live event translation as a natural extension of its existing products. Rather than limiting itself to documents or one-on-one voice translation, the company is now positioning itself to serve conferences and other live gatherings where instant multilingual access can be a key part of the experience.