accessiBe

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] The company's technology uses machine learning algorithms to analyze and modify website content in order to make it more accessible. accessiBe's services are designed to help website owners comply with laws and regulations related to web accessibility, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in the United States. However, most accessibility experts agree that overlay solutions like accessiBe can not properly address accessibility issues or legal issues ADA compliance.[8][9]

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

History

accessiBe was founded in 2018 by Dekel Skoop, Gal Vizel and Shir Ekerling.[10][11] The founders worked on developing proprietary software in order to make websites accessible for people with disabilities.[12][13][14]

accessiBe launched its software product as a tool that scans and attempts to remediate websites in real-time, attempting to achieve ADA compliance through implementing WCAG 2.1 guidelines.[15][16] 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.[17][18]

Fundraising

accessiBe first raised $500,000 from private investors including Nadav Dakner, Elad Mor, Itai Elizur, Oron Yaffe.[19] In May 2020, the company raised $12 million in Series A funding from K1 Investment Management.[20][21][22][23] 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][24][25][26]

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.[27] 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.[28][29]

In August 2022 accessiBe raised an additional $30 Million as an extension to its previous Series A[30][31] 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.[32]

  • During their 2021 convention the National Federation of the Blind made resolutions that condemned the use of accessibility overlays as an inadequate solution[33] and described accessiBe's marketing and business practices as "disrespectful and misleading".[34]
  • Steve Faulkner, member of the W3C Web Platforms Working Group,[35] says accessibility plugins can't fix fundamental issues or replicate existing browser functionality.[36]
  • Haben Girma, disability rights lawyer, author, and speaker, urges companies to stay away from accessiBe and other companies in the same space.[37]

Many industry professionals have criticized the entire product category.[38][39]

Lawsuits

There have been around 100 lawsuits against companies after they invested in a widget-based solution,[40] most prominently ADP,[41] and two have named accessiBe specifically: Thomas Klaus and Robert Jahoda v. Upright Technologies,[42] and Kolesar v. Bylt, LLC.[43]

See also

References
  1. Singh, Preeti (13 May 2020). "K1 Bets $12 Million on Company That Improves Internet Access for the Disabled". The Wall Street Journal.
  2. Spencer, Jennifer (27 November 2019). "Yes, AI Can Make Company Websites Accessible to All". Entrepreneur. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  3. יבלונקו, יסמין (2020-05-13). "הסטארט-אפ הישראלי accessiBe גייס 12 מיליון דולר מקרן K1". Globes (in Hebrew). Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  4. "להנגיש אוטומטית כל אתר לאנשים עם מוגבלויות: אקססיבי גייסה 12 מיליון דולר". TheMarker. 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. 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. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  7. "AccessiBe raises $30 million to make websites accessible". Calcalist Tech. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
  8. Alex (2020-08-24). "The Trouble with Accessibility Overlays". Logictran, Inc. Retrieved 2020-10-23.
  9. "Are Overlays an ADA Liability? Here's What Experts Had to Say". 216digital. 2020-05-20. Retrieved 2020-10-23.
  10. "Israeli Startup accessiBe Secures $12M Investment from K1 Finance Magnates". Finance Magnates. 13 May 2020. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  11. "Web accessibility platform accessiBe secures $12 million to make the entire web accessible". BetaNews. 15 May 2020. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  12. Elizur, Itai (20 August 2019). "How to Make Your Website ADA Compliant, Avoid Accessibility Lawsuits". Small Business Trends. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  13. "How eCommerce Store Owners Can Help Persons with Disabilities During the COVID-19 Crisis". Business 2 Community. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  14. Abo, Jessica (2020-09-04). "How One Company is Working to Solve Web Accessibility". Entrepreneur. Retrieved 2020-09-19.
  15. "Why Your Website Might Not Be Welcoming for People With Disabilities". Fortune. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  16. "How Ecommerce Stores Can Care About Customers During the Pandemic". Search Engine Journal. 18 May 2020. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  17. "accessiBe aims to make the Internet accessible by 2025". Information Age. 21 January 2020. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  18. Moed, Jonathan. "This Startup Aims To Make E-Commerce Accessible For Everyone". Forbes. Retrieved 2020-09-19.
  19. אורבך, מאיר (13 May 2020). "חברת אקססיבי גייסה 12 מיליון דולר לנגישות של אתרי אינטרנט". Calcalist. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  20. "אקססיבי הישראלית מגייסת כסף, כי אתרים לא מונגשים מפסידים כניסות וחשופים לתביעות". Geektime (in Hebrew). 13 May 2020. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  21. "accessiBe Raises $12M in Funding". FinSMEs. 13 May 2020. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  22. Dorbian, Iris (13 May 2020). "K1 invests $12m in AccessiBe". PE Hub. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  23. "3 Reputation Management Tasks You've Never Considered - but Should Be Doing". Social Media Today. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  24. "Israeli AI-Powered Web Accessibility Company AccessiBe Raises $12m". No Camels. 13 May 2020. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
  25. "AI web accessibility co accessiBe raises $12m". Globes. 13 May 2020. Retrieved 11 May 2021.
  26. "Accessibility overlay startup accessiBe closes $28M Series A". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2021-02-15.
  27. "accessiBe Secures $28 Million in Series A Funding Following a Successful 2020". Venture Beat. 10 February 2021. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  28. "accessiBe Secures $28 Million in Series A Funding Following a Successful 2020". Business Wire. 10 February 2021. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  29. "Israeli AI Web Accessibility Startup acceisBe closes $28M Series A Round". nocamels. 10 February 2021. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  30. "AccessiBe raises $30 million to make websites accessible". Calcalist Tech. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
  31. "Website accessibility start-up accessiBe raises $58m. in Series A funding". Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
  32. "Overlay Fact Sheet".
  33. "Resolution 2021-04: Regarding the Use of Overlays to Make Websites Accessible to the Blind". July 10, 2021.
  34. "Resolution 2021-04: Resolution 2021-17: Regarding accessiBe's Disrespectful and Misleading Business Practices". July 10, 2021.
  35. "CodePen - Steve Faulkner: Resume". cdpn.io. Retrieved 2020-10-23.
  36. Faulkner, Steve (2020-05-13). "Bolt-on Accessibility – 5 gears in reverse". TPG. Retrieved 2020-10-23.
  37. Girma, Haben (May 5, 2021). "Avoid AccessiBe & other companies claiming quick & easy AI accessibility". Archived from the original on 2021-05-18.
  38. Alex (2020-08-24). "The Trouble with Accessibility Overlays". Logictran, Inc. Retrieved 2020-10-23.
  39. "Are Overlays an ADA Liability? Here's What Experts Had to Say". 216digital. 2020-05-20. Retrieved 2020-10-23.
  40. Taylor, Jason. "App and Web Accessibility Lawsuits - What's New in 2020". blog.usablenet.com. Retrieved 2020-10-23.
  41. "LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired v. ADP TotalSource". Disability Rights Advocates. Retrieved 2020-10-23.
  42. "KLAUS et al v. UPRIGHT TECHNOLOGIES, INC. (2:20-cv-00191), Pennsylvania Western District Court". www.pacermonitor.com. Retrieved 2020-10-23.
  43. 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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