There are many language learning options available for a variety of needs. Carnegie Speech Co., however, is personalizing the process for language-learners. When Dr. Maxine Eskenazi was teaching English as a second language in France, she dreamed of a tool that her students could use to practice their spoken-English exercises by themselves and receive immediate language feedback and instruction.  Eskenazi went on to become one of the world's leading experts on Computer Assisted Language Learning through research at Carnegie Mellon University and is now Carnegie Speech's VP and chief technology officer.

Founded by Dr. Jamie Carbonell, who has led and advised multiple tech startups, Carnegie Speech is poised to strengthen its position as a leading provider of software for assessing and teaching native languages to non-native speakers. A $2.2 million round of financing in the fall of 2009 and a strategic partnership with investment firm In-Q-Tel will help Carnegie Speech market, sell and distribute its software in the U.S. That will likely include meeting demands in corporate training, government, aviation and global education.

Carnegie Speech benefited from early stage funding from Ben Franklin Technology Partners and helped solidify the company's status among potential investors. The company has also worked closely with Carnegie Mellon's Language Technologies Institute. The company's suite of language training software includes Carnegie Speech Assessment, Native Accent, SpeakIraqi Phrasal and SpeakIraqi Advanced, SPeakRussian, SPeakFarsi and Climb Level 4 and is internet enabled.  The software utilizes speech recognition technology to pinpoint user errors and is able to the user's demonstrated abilities.

In both 2009 and 2010, the company was named one of Pittsburgh's 100 Fastest Growing Companies and a Tech 50 Finalist from the Pittsburgh Technology Council. Carnegie went from offering two products in 2007 with less than a dozen countries to seven products with users in some 60 countries.