Company:accessiBe

From HandWiki
Short description: Israeli technology company

accessiBe
TypePrivate
IndustryWeb accessibility
FounderDekel Skoop, Gal Vizel, Shir Ekerling
Headquarters
Tel Aviv
,
Israel
ProductsWeb accessibility softwares
Websiteaccessibe.com

accessiBe is a technology company working to solve the problem of web accessibility through AI.[1][2] The company has raised $58 million in two rounds of funding.[3][4][5][6][7]

History

accessiBe was founded in 2018 by Dekel Skoop, Gal Vizel and Shir Ekerling.[8][9] The founders worked on developing proprietary software in order to make websites accessible for people with disabilities.[10][11][12]

accessiBe launched its flagship product, accessWidget, as a tool that scans and attempts to remediate websites in real-time, attempting to achieve ADA compliance through implementing WCAG 2.1 guidelines.[13][14] The product claims to make website publishers ADA compliant within hours of deploying accessiBe's code, so that people with disabilities can easily access and interact with these websites.[15][16] In 2021 accessiBe added to its ecosystem of tools, accessFlow,[17] a testing and remediation platform for developers on the source code level.

Fundraising

accessiBe first raised $500,000 from private investors including Nadav Dakner, Elad Mor, Itai Elizur, Oron Yaffe.[18] In May 2020, the company raised $12 million in Series A funding from K1 Investment Management.[19][20][21][22] In February 2021, closed its series A funding with $28 million from K1 Investment Management, a Los Angeles-based private equity firm investing primarily in software and technology private companies across North America, took a minority stake in accessiBe Systems Ltd. with intentions to help accessiBe to expand in North America.[1][23][24][25]

By February 2021, accessiBe's annual recurring revenue has shown a growth of more than 3.5x in 12 months, which led to additional funding from K1, totaling $28 million.[26] Company leaders have announced that they are planning to use the funds to significantly expand its US presence, grow its R&D department and continue educating the market on the importance of web accessibility.[27][28]

In August 2022 accessiBe raised an additional $30 Million as an extension to its previous Series A[7][29] bringing its total funding to $58 Million.

Criticism and concerns

Many web accessibility experts agree that accessibility overlay software like AccessiBe can actually cause accessibility issues and create a false sense of accessibility for their clients.[30]

  • During their 2021 convention the National Federation of the Blind made resolutions that condemned the use of accessibility overlays as an inadequate solution[31] and described accessiBe's marketing and business practices as "disrespectful and misleading".[32]
  • Steve Faulkner, member of the W3C Web Platforms Working Group,[33] says accessibility plugins can't fix fundamental issues or replicate existing browser functionality.[34]
  • Haben Girma, disability rights lawyer, author, and speaker, urges companies to stay away from accessiBe and other companies in the same space.[35]

Many industry professionals have criticized the entire product category.[36][37]

Lawsuits

There have been around 100 lawsuits against companies after they invested in a widget-based solution,[38] most prominently ADP,[39] and two have named accessiBe specifically: Thomas Klaus and Robert Jahoda v. Upright Technologies,[40] and Kolesar v. Bylt, LLC.[41]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Singh, Preeti (13 May 2020). "K1 Bets $12 Million on Company That Improves Internet Access for the Disabled". The Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/articles/k1-bets-12-million-on-company-that-improves-internet-access-for-the-disabled-11589329107. 
  2. ↑ Spencer, Jennifer (27 November 2019). "Yes, AI Can Make Company Websites Accessible to All" (in en). Entrepreneur. https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/342737. Retrieved 23 May 2020. 
  3. ↑ יבלונקו, יסמין (2020-05-13). "הסטארט-אפ הישראלי accessiBe גייס 12 מיליון דולר מקרן K1" (in he). Globes. https://www.globes.co.il/news/article.aspx?did=1001328453. Retrieved 23 May 2020. 
  4. ↑ "להנגיש אוטומטית כל אתר לאנשים עם מוגבלויות: אקססיבי גייסה 12 מיליון דולר". TheMarker. https://www.themarker.com/technation/1.8843735. Retrieved 23 May 2020. 
  5. ↑ "Israeli startup accessiBe scores $12 million to make web content accessible to the visual, hearing and motor impaired". Tech.eu. https://tech.eu/brief/accessibe-funding/. Retrieved 23 May 2020. 
  6. ↑ Dudharejia, Manish (15 October 2019). "How AI-enabled marketing can lower website bounce rates and improve accessibility". Marketing Tech News. https://marketingtechnews.net/news/2019/oct/15/how-ai-enabled-marketing-can-lower-website-bounce-rates-and-improve-accessibility/. Retrieved 23 May 2020. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "AccessiBe raises $30 million to make websites accessible". Calcalist Tech. https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/bkqcgfk1i. 
  8. ↑ "Israeli Startup accessiBe Secures $12M Investment from K1 Finance Magnates" (in en). 13 May 2020. https://www.financemagnates.com/fintech/news/israeli-startup-accessibe-secures-12m-investment-from-k1/. Retrieved 23 May 2020. 
  9. ↑ "Web accessibility platform accessiBe secures $12 million to make the entire web accessible" (in en). 15 May 2020. https://betanews.com/2020/05/15/accessibe-secures-12-million-funding/. Retrieved 23 May 2020. 
  10. ↑ Elizur, Itai (20 August 2019). "How to Make Your Website ADA Compliant, Avoid Accessibility Lawsuits". Small Business Trends. https://smallbiztrends.com/2019/08/make-your-website-ada-compliant.html. Retrieved 23 May 2020. 
  11. ↑ "How eCommerce Store Owners Can Help Persons with Disabilities During the COVID-19 Crisis". Business 2 Community. https://www.business2community.com/ecommerce/how-ecommerce-store-owners-can-help-persons-with-disabilities-during-the-covid-19-crisis-02304237. Retrieved 23 May 2020. 
  12. ↑ Abo, Jessica (2020-09-04). "How One Company is Working to Solve Web Accessibility" (in en). https://www.entrepreneur.com/video/355687. 
  13. ↑ "Why Your Website Might Not Be Welcoming for People With Disabilities" (in en). Fortune. https://fortune.com/2019/09/21/beyonce-lawsuit-website-ada-compliant/. Retrieved 23 May 2020. 
  14. ↑ "How Ecommerce Stores Can Care About Customers During the Pandemic" (in en). Search Engine Journal. 18 May 2020. https://www.searchenginejournal.com/ecommerce-stores-customer-card/365174/#close. Retrieved 23 May 2020. 
  15. ↑ "accessiBe aims to make the Internet accessible by 2025" (in en). Information Age. 21 January 2020. https://www.information-age.com/accessibe-internet-accessible-2025-123487156/. Retrieved 23 May 2020. 
  16. ↑ Moed, Jonathan. "This Startup Aims To Make E-Commerce Accessible For Everyone" (in en). https://www.forbes.com/sites/jonathanmoed/2020/08/03/this-startup-aims-to-make-ecommerce-accessible-for-everyone/. 
  17. ↑ accessiBe. "accessiBe Releases New Accessibility Testing and Remediation Platform, Alongside a Learning Hub For Developers, Designers, and Product Managers" (in en). https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/accessibe-releases-new-accessibility-testing-and-remediation-platform-alongside-a-learning-hub-for-developers-designers-and-product-managers-301351101.html. 
  18. ↑ אורבך, מאיר (13 May 2020). "חברת אקססיבי גייסה 12 מיליון דולר לנגישות של אתרי אינטרנט". Calcalist. https://www.calcalist.co.il/internet/articles/0,7340,L-3822050,00.html. Retrieved 23 May 2020. 
  19. ↑ "אקססיבי הישראלית מגייסת כסף, כי אתרים לא מונגשים מפסידים כניסות וחשופים לתביעות" (in he-IL). Geektime. 13 May 2020. https://www.geektime.co.il/accessibe-raises-12m/. Retrieved 23 May 2020. 
  20. ↑ "accessiBe Raises $12M in Funding". FinSMEs. 13 May 2020. https://www.finsmes.com/2020/05/accessibe-raises-12m-in-funding.html. Retrieved 23 May 2020. 
  21. ↑ Dorbian, Iris (13 May 2020). "K1 invests $12m in AccessiBe". PE Hub. https://www.pehub.com/k1-invests-12m-in-accessibe/. Retrieved 23 May 2020. 
  22. ↑ "3 Reputation Management Tasks You've Never Considered - but Should Be Doing". Social Media Today. https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/3-reputation-management-tasks-youve-never-considered-but-should-be-doing/561993/. Retrieved 23 May 2020. 
  23. ↑ "Israeli AI-Powered Web Accessibility Company AccessiBe Raises $12m" (in en). 13 May 2020. https://nocamels.com/2020/05/israeli-ai-web-accessibility-accessib-12m/. Retrieved 13 May 2021. 
  24. ↑ "AI web accessibility co accessiBe raises $12m" (in en). 13 May 2020. https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-ai-web-accessibility-co-accessibe-raises-12m-1001328482. Retrieved 11 May 2021. 
  25. ↑ "Accessibility overlay startup accessiBe closes $28M Series A" (in en-US). https://social.techcrunch.com/2021/02/10/accessibility-overlay-startup-accessibe-closes-28m-series-a/. 
  26. ↑ "accessiBe Secures $28 Million in Series A Funding Following a Successful 2020" (in en). 10 February 2021. https://venturebeat.com/2021/02/10/accessibe-secures-28-million-in-series-a-funding-following-a-successful-2020/. Retrieved 12 May 2021. 
  27. ↑ "accessiBe Secures $28 Million in Series A Funding Following a Successful 2020" (in en). 10 February 2021. https://venturebeat.com/2021/02/10/accessibe-secures-28-million-in-series-a-funding-following-a-successful-2020/. Retrieved 12 May 2021. 
  28. ↑ "Israeli AI Web Accessibility Startup acceisBe closes $28M Series A Round" (in en). 10 February 2021. https://venturebeat.com/2021/02/10/accessibe-secures-28-million-in-series-a-funding-following-a-successful-2020/. Retrieved 12 May 2021. 
  29. ↑ "Website accessibility start-up accessiBe raises $58m. in Series A funding". Jerusalem Post. https://www.jpost.com/business-and-innovation/tech-and-start-ups/article-715349. 
  30. ↑ "Overlay Fact Sheet". https://overlayfactsheet.com/. 
  31. ↑ "Resolution 2021-04: Regarding the Use of Overlays to Make Websites Accessible to the Blind". July 10, 2021. https://nfb.org/resources/speeches-and-reports/resolutions/2021-resolutions#04. 
  32. ↑ "Resolution 2021-04: Resolution 2021-17: Regarding accessiBe's Disrespectful and Misleading Business Practices". July 10, 2021. https://nfb.org/resources/speeches-and-reports/resolutions/2021-resolutions#17. 
  33. ↑ "CodePen - Steve Faulkner: Resume". https://cdpn.io/stevef/debug/dyGeywr. 
  34. ↑ Faulkner, Steve (2020-05-13). "Bolt-on Accessibility – 5 gears in reverse" (in en-US). https://developer.paciellogroup.com/blog/2020/05/bolt-on-accessibility-5-gears-in-reverse/. 
  35. ↑ Girma, Haben (May 5, 2021). "Avoid AccessiBe & other companies claiming quick & easy AI accessibility". https://habengirma.com/2021/05/05/avoid-accessibe-other-companies-claiming-quick-easy-ai-accessibility/. 
  36. ↑ Alex (2020-08-24). "The Trouble with Accessibility Overlays" (in en-US). https://logictran.com/2020/08/24/the-trouble-with-accessibility-overlays/. 
  37. ↑ "Are Overlays an ADA Liability? Here's What Experts Had to Say" (in en-US). 2020-05-20. https://216digital.com/ada-website-overlays/. 
  38. ↑ Taylor, Jason. "App and Web Accessibility Lawsuits - What's New in 2020" (in en-us). https://blog.usablenet.com/web-accessibility-lawsuits-whats-new-in-2020. 
  39. ↑ "LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired v. ADP TotalSource" (in en-US). https://dralegal.org/case/lighthouse-for-the-blind-and-visually-impaired-v-adp-totalsource/. 
  40. ↑ "KLAUS et al v. UPRIGHT TECHNOLOGIES, INC. (2:20-cv-00191), Pennsylvania Western District Court". https://www.pacermonitor.com/public/case/32200854/KLAUS_et_al_v_UPRIGHT_TECHNOLOGIES,_INC. 
  41. ↑ KLAUS et al v. BYLT, LLC (1:20-cv-00025), Pennsylvania Western District Court. www.pacermonitor.com. Retrieved 2020-10-23.



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