DubGuild Raises ¥2.1 Billion in Seed Funding
DubGuild, a company focused on developing a text-free, voice-centered AI model, has successfully raised ¥2.1 billion in a seed funding round. The round was led by JAFCO Group, with additional investments from Coreline Ventures and CyberAgent Capital. The announcement was made on June 9, 2026.
Company Overview
DubGuild is engaged in the research and development of an innovative AI model that processes voice without relying on text. Unlike traditional systems that use a combination of Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR), Large Language Models (LLM), and Text-to-Speech (TTS), DubGuild's approach employs a Neural Audio Codec to convert voice into tokens. These tokens are then processed using a foundational model, enabling real-time dialogue with features such as emotion recognition and the ability to handle interruptions.
Leadership
The company is led by CEO Masatoshi Otake, who has been instrumental in driving the development of DubGuild's voice-focused technologies.
Use of Funds
The newly secured funds will be strategically allocated to various areas of development. DubGuild plans to enhance its engineering team and expedite the development of a large-scale voice language foundational model, specifically targeting a 30B-scale model. This development will be supported by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and NEDO's generative AI support project, GENIAC, which provides resources like computational power and data sets.
Future Developments
DubGuild has been conducting extensive research, including experiments with large datasets comprising 50,000 to 500,000 hours of Japanese voice data. These efforts have led to improvements in expression range and speaker switching capabilities in their AI model. The company's ongoing advancements aim to further refine these capabilities and implement them on a broader scale.
Investor Support
JAFCO Group's leadership in this funding round highlights the confidence investors have in DubGuild's unique approach and potential impact on voice-focused AI technologies. The participation of Coreline Ventures and CyberAgent Capital further strengthens the company's financial backing and strategic position in the AI industry.
DubGuild's innovative approach to AI technology continues to attract significant interest and investment, positioning the company as a key player in the development of next-generation voice communication tools.