Video creators who wish to add subtitles to their uploads have plenty of options, but few are as robust as the app that’s literally titled Captions. The two-year-old company has raised a $25 million Series B funding round that it will use to expand its team, build new features, and serve a growing audience that currently includes about 100,000 daily active users.
Captions’ name may suggest that it only focuses on one part of the video editing experience, but it offers a lot more than its AI-generated subtitles. The app’s users can employ it to edit their videos from start to finish. According to a blog post, three million creators have used Captions since its launch, and more than one million videos are created through the app each month.
In the crowded field of video editing apps, Captions looks to set itself apart with a focus on communication. The company employs technology that can shift a creator’s eyes so that they appear to be looking into the camera while speaking. Video audio can also be translated into multiple languages; by offering that capability, Captions is staying ahead of the curve in the creator economy.
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Captions co-founder Gaurav Misra previously worked at Snap, where he was part of the design engineering team. “Most video production editing is focused more on aesthetics like filters and colors, whereas our focus became more about conveying an idea or experience,” Misra told Forbes.
Misra met Captions co-founder Dwight Churchill while the pair worked together at mobile analytics startup Localytics. They united to launch an app that caters to a marked rise in what Captions called “taking videos.” Those clips — in which a single on-screen persona addresses the audience — are popular on formats like TikTok and Instagram Reels.
“In these videos, creators address the camera directly, broadcasting personal stories, lessons, opinions, or ideas,” reads the Captions blog post. “The effect? Creators generate a sense of authenticity and trust with their viewers, as if having a one-on-one conversation.”
Kleiner Perkins led Captions’ Series B. According to Forbes, the VC firm has also backed AI startup Synthesia and the communication-oriented service Loom. Other participants in Captions’ funding round include Sequoia Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, and SV Angel. In total, the app has raised $40 million and now commands a valuation of $250 million.
