In 2012, Amazon acquired IVONA Software, a leading text-to-speech technology company based in Gdańsk, Poland, a city well-known for revolutionary ideas and its high standard of computer science education.
At the time, IVONA’s employees were already delivering world-class technologies that powered the features on Amazon’s Kindle Fire tablets, as well as providing text-to-speech products and services for developers, businesses, and the public.
Amazon invested in and helped scale the IVONA team’s technology globally, and it quickly became an important part of the voice of Alexa, Amazon’s AI assistant. Ten years on, there are more than half a billion Alexa devices out there with customers, including Echo devices, Fire TV and Fire tablets, and more - including third-party products such as cars, speakers, and computers.
Every day, Alexa helps customers with daily tasks, keeps them informed, and manages smart home needs; and Alexa is also helping customers – especially those with disabilities - live more connected, independent, and happy lives. You can learn more about the stories of those customers here.
In the decade since Amazon acquired IVONA, the number of employees based at the Amazon Development Center in Gdańsk has increased more than tenfold, and from 2012 to 2022, Amazon invested more than PLN 20 billion (€5 billion) in development in Poland.
Since 2010, Amazon has established more than 25 research and development sites across Europe, and invested €215 billion in our operations and innovations in Europe.
