QONDA, A new startup revolutionizes simultaneous interpreting
Qonda, a browser-based platform for remote interpreting, is an innovative tool which makes multi-language online conferences much easier – for the companies as well as for the interpreters. Qonda is an online service for booking and assigning simultaneous interpreters for online conferences, in any language and language combinations. Instead of having to be present on site of the conference, the interpreters can now dial in to the event from wherever they are located to provide their interpretation. The new platform also offers an option for completely virtual implementation of relay interpreting.
Qonda’s aim is to make the handling of remote simultaneous interpretation as easy as organizing an online video conference. Companies intending to hold multi-language online conferences, seminars or training courses can dial in the interpreters for the respective languages via the platform – for exactly the periods when they are needed and in all language combinations available on the market. They can use their own tried-and-tested interpreters, or book via a translation agency. Whereas the commonly used video platforms offer a limited number of language channels, Qonda has no restrictions as to the number. This revolutionizes the processes, because the entire assignment of simultaneous interpreters can now be handled online for the first time. Since the interpreters do not need to travel to the place of the conference, the companies save a lot of money and logistical effort.
Qonda, whose servers are in strict compliance with the GDPR, focuses on user-friendly technology and handling. Compatible with all the usual platforms, Qonda can also be used as a standalone video conference tool. Furthermore, it allows for completely virtual implementation of the so-called relay interpreting which is perfect for multi-language conferences. During relay interpreting, one interpreter listens to the source language speaker and renders the message into a language common to all the other interpreters, for example English. These other interpreters then render the message in their target language. This used to require several interpreter booths – with Qonda, the virtual space is now all you need.
Many benefits for the interpreters themselves
“Qonda brings professional interpreting into the Internet to create a space where more people can understand each others’ messages and where interpreters can experience a new independence in their job,” says Benjamin Bühl, one of the two founders of the platform. “Via the Qonda network, interpreters not only find new customers but can also accept more assignments because they save travel time. Also, the tool helps them in their actual work: Instead of using tedious WhatsApp messages, the interpreters communicate directly via their own chat; thanks to the Handover function, taking over from a colleague is possible at any time.”
Mike Bertsch: “For us, the high quality of our language services was as important as ensuring Qonda’s suitability for a wide range of possible applications. Qonda is designed for interpreting video conferences, video streams and audio transmissions, as well as hybrid live and on-site meetings. Our customers are international corporate groups and organizations but also medium-sized enterprises. They increasingly use Qonda for board meetings, press conferences, product presentations, webinars or training courses, some of them with up to 20,000 participants from all over the world.”
Behind Qonda are two who have combined their two perspectives: Benjamin Bühl has been managing Dolmetscheragentur24 for 5 years and has been in the industry for 17 years. Mike Bertsch has been managing director of B&B Technik + Events and an expert in event technology and organization for over 20 years.
With Qonda companies, NGOs, associations etc. have the possibility to have their meetings, conferences and conventions of any kind interpreted into an infinite number of languages.
