How UNLEASH Capital Partners used VoicePing's real-time AI translation for a Japanese investor delegation in India.
VoicePing · Customer Story · UNLEASH2026
When a Japanese venture fund flies its investors to India for a multi-day summit, the room is bilingual by nature: an Indian program, a Japanese audience. UNLEASH Capital Partners faced exactly that at UNLEASH Insights 2026, and turned to VoicePing’s real-time AI translation for the first time — across two days of panel discussions, presentations, and Q&A.
We sat down with Sowmya Arunkumar of UNLEASH Capital Partners to hear how the team chose VoicePing, how it was used on-site, what worked, and — candidly — what still needs to improve. We’ve kept her feedback direct, because the wishlist she shared is the roadmap we’re building toward.
The Event and the Language Gap
— Could you introduce yourself and tell us what UNLEASH Insights 2026 was?
Sowmya: I work as a Consultant responsible for Impact Thesis building and reporting along with portfolio management at UNLEASH; I joined in December 2025. I got in touch with VoicePing for one of the events we’d scheduled in May, where around 30 to 40 Japanese delegates came to India. The event was about what we’re doing in India — the kind of investments we make and discuss about our portfolio companies. We structured it with panel discussions, one-on-one presentations, and Q&A throughout the event.
— And the language challenge?
Sowmya: Most of the delegates were okay with English, but they’re more comfortable in Japanese — so we wanted them to be able to follow what was happening in the sessions.
Why VoicePing
— What made you choose VoicePing?
Sowmya: We looked into many of the tools available here in India. The main concern was that in a panel discussion, they usually don’t pick up each speaker’s voice and phrases correctly, so it wasn’t getting translated the right way — that was the main thing we saw in the reviews. There are headset and earbud solutions, but giving those to 35 to 40 people didn’t make sense to us, so we needed software that fit our requirements.
— And the other options you looked at?
Sowmya: The commercial models didn’t fit us. It was expensive for a one-day event, and it was mostly subscription-based — a 50-hour plan, a 100-hour plan — which made no sense for a one-off. This is an annual event; we need translation then, not day-to-day.
— So how did you find us?
Sowmya: Through a referral. Mr. Natsuki Sugai, our Managing Partner, heard about VoicePing from a friend who’d used it in Japan. The friend said it had improved a lot over the last two years and that we should check it out. That’s when I got in touch with the team.
How It Was Used
— On-site, the translation ran live on the room monitors beside the main screen, across the two conference days. Was the team helpful getting it set up?
Sowmya: Yes, the team was supportive throughout. They helped with downloading the software and ran a couple of trials in the room with the venue’s AV team. And during the event itself, Aaron was with us the whole day to help.
— Was the pricing easy to work with?
Sowmya: Yes. On our first call the team explained the packages for a one-day or two-day event, which was really helpful, and we did a demo on that call — that gave us the conviction it would work for us.
On the Day: What Worked, and What Didn’t
— How was the translation quality?
Sowmya: English-to-Japanese was OK. But there was a session where someone spoke in Japanese and needed an English translation, and that was really not up to the mark. I don’t speak Japanese, so I was relying entirely on what was being translated — and at times what came through wasn’t right.
— And the way it appeared on screen?
Sowmya: Once a phrase is translated, it shouldn’t get rewritten again. I’d read a sentence and understand it, but by the time I moved to the next one the previous line had changed, so the meaning was lost. It was confusing, and too fast to catch up with.
— That’s fair. Japanese and English have nearly opposite word order, so a Japanese sentence’s meaning only settles once the verb arrives at the end — which is why an early English rendering can get corrected mid-sentence. It’s a known limitation we’re working on: an updated model with less flickering is on the way, and on the call we also showed a split-screen view that keeps the settled lines static beside the live text.
— How did the audience find it overall?
Sowmya: It was better than having nothing at all. The attendees were more comfortable in Japanese, and the translation helped them follow what was happening.
Tuning the Dictionary Between Day One and Day Two
One operational note from our side: not all of the event’s terminology was loaded into the dictionary in time for day one, so the VoicePing team added more of it for day two — and recognition of those terms improved. It’s a real-world argument for the pre-event glossary Sowmya asked for: getting the key terms in before the first session, rather than catching up afterward.
Beyond Translation: Recording and Summary
Beyond the live translation, the call also covered VoicePing’s recording and summary. Every session is recorded and summarized automatically, with the full transcript downloadable as a PDF, text file, or audio. During the call, Sowmya logged into the workspace and pulled up the recording of the six-hour session, and we walked through how it can be shared with colleagues after the event.
On Cost
— How did the cost work out for you?
Sowmya: It was a one-off for us, and it’s an annual event — so a subscription, 50 hours or 100 hours, didn’t make sense. The event-based package was what fit.
For current event plan pricing, see VoicePing’s Event Translation App pricing
What They Want Next
— What would make the next event better?
Sowmya: A few things. First, a pre-loaded glossary — words like UNLEASH and our portfolio company names come up often and don’t need translating, so it would help to set those in the dictionary beforehand. As a customer who isn’t well-versed with the software, it would be great if you could give us the list of words to set before the session. Second, the Japanese-to-English direction can still be improved — maybe it was the accent or the speaker talking fast, but it can be better. And third, once a phrase is translated, it shouldn’t keep getting rewritten.
— All three are on our roadmap: a guided pre-event terminology setup, stronger Japanese-to-English, and a steadier display with less mid-sentence re-rendering.
Looking Ahead
— Any plans for the next edition?
Sowmya: For this year we don’t have anything else planned yet. We might have some planning in December, and if we run another summit, we’ll look at it then.
— So we’re treating this as a wishlist rather than a renewal. A new version of the app — with a new translation model and noticeably less flickering — is on the way, and we’ll keep the team posted as it ships. If UNLEASH runs another summit, we’d like to earn it.
Key Takeaways
- First-time deployment for UNLEASH Capital Partners’ first LP summit — real-time Japanese ↔ English translation across the two conference days (May 19 and 21, 2026), shown live on in-room monitors.
- Chosen over headset/earbud solutions (impractical for 35–40 people) and over subscription-based tools that didn’t fit a once-a-year event; came in through a personal referral.
- Honest results: English→Japanese was usable and “better than nothing”; Japanese→English needs improvement, and mid-sentence on-screen re-rendering was hard to follow.
- VoicePing’s on-site team refined the terminology dictionary between day one and day two, improving recognition of event-specific terms.
- Beyond live translation, VoicePing also captures a full recording, AI summary, and transcript (downloadable as PDF, text, or audio) — walked through on the call.
- Wishlist: a pre-event glossary service, stronger Japanese→English, and a steadier display — all on VoicePing’s roadmap.
Company Profile: UNLEASH Capital Partners, Inc.
- Firm: Japanese Venture Capital Fund Manager investing in early-stage (seed / Series A) fintech and financial inclusion startups in India
- Maiden fund: ~₹300 crore, closed 2025; backed by ~35 Japanese limited partners;
- Founder & Managing Partner: Natsuki Sugai
- Mission framing:“UNLEASH the future of finance. Include everyone.”
- Official Website:UNLEASH Capital Partners
Bring Real-Time Translation to Your Next Event with VoicePing
VoicePing brings real-time translation into panels, presentations, and Q&A — helping a visiting audience follow a program in another language.
- Captions on the room monitor — translation appears live beside the main screen, switching languages as speakers do.
- No subscription required — event-based packages sized to a one-day or multi-day summit, not an ongoing usage plan.
- Recorded and summarized — event sessions can be preserved as transcripts, AI summaries, and audio for post-event review.
- Hands-on support — pre-event setup, in-room trials with your AV team, and on-site help on the day.
Learn more about VoicePing for events.
Interview conducted on June 4, 2026 with Sowmya Arunkumar of UNLEASH Capital Partners, Inc. The interview was conducted in English; answers have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
