TransPerfect was founded at New York University Stern School of Business in 1992
TransPerfect's co-founders recognized that there was a need for a service-minded enterprise that could deliver complex translation projects quickly and accurately. In 1992, Phil Shawe and Liz Elting founded TransPerfect to fill that gap. Their mission: to provide the highest quality language services to leading businesses worldwide. With no external financing, TransPerfect grew from its beginnings as a two-person company operating out of a dorm room into one of the world's most reputable language and business services companies.
Over the years, TransPerfect and its flagship GlobalLink technology suite have won numerous awards, including being recognized on the Inc. 5000 list of America’s fastest-growing companies multiple times. The company pioneered the adoption of critical quality standards for the industry and is today certified to ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 17100:2015, ensuring the highest level of quality and service for all projects. In addition, TransPerfect introduced the industry’s leading standard for linguist certification, the TransPerfect Linguist Certification (TLC) program, which tests linguists for language proficiency and subject-area specialization.
In 2018, Phil Shawe completed a historic buyout of his co-founder—ushering the company into a new era with renewed focus on expansion and innovation. The sale ensured the continuation of TransPerfect’s long history of profitable growth, job creation, expansion of the company’s global footprint, and a pursuit of strategic mergers and acquisitions—all with the overarching purpose of better serving the international business requirements of its prestigious and ever-growing client base.
Today, TransPerfect has over 9,500+ full-time employees and a network of over 10,000 certified linguists and subject-area specialists, all dedicated to helping clients overcome business challenges. With offices in more than 140 cities around the globe, TransPerfect is the world’s largest language services provider. Its global group of companies completes over 400,000 projects per year, and works with many of the world's most recognizable enterprises.
Timeline
2019
- TransPerfect Legal Solutions (TLS) recognized in five e-discovery and litigation support categories by National Law Journal
- TransPerfect opens office in Lisbon, Portugal
- TransPerfect named to the Silicon Review’s list of 30 Fastest-Growing Tech Companies of the Year
- TransPerfect debuts enhanced, AI-powered Adobe integration
- TransPerfect Legal Solutions expands global capabilities with e-discovery data center and service team in Sydney
- TransPerfect opens locations in Hartford and Tampa
- TransPerfect was honored with a Bronze Stevie Award for Product Developer of the Year by the American Business Awards for their GlobalLink AI solution.
- TransPerfect acquires video content specialist Propulse Video
- TransPerfect Connect welcomes 25-year contact center industry veteran Steven Cheeseman
- TransPerfect’s GlobalLink AI Portal was selected as a finalist in the 2019 Artificial Intelligence Excellence Awards issued by the Business Intelligence Group
- TransPerfect-sponsored crossing of Atacama Desert by Ultramarathon Champion Michele Graglia officially recognized as world record
2016
- TransPerfect Shatters first quarter revenue record in 2016
- Translations.com introduces GlobalLink Connect for Zendesk
- TransPerfect wins Gold Stevie Award for Company of the Year at 2016 American Business Awards
- Litigation and discovery expert Al-Karim Makhani joins TransPerfect Legal Solutions
- TransPerfect named official translation and interpretation provider of the LPGA
- TransPerfect raises over $300,000 for the V Foundation for Cancer Research
- TransPerfect opens second London office
- TransPerfect named to the 2016 Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies in America
- TransPerfect opens first Polish office in Warsaw
- TransPerfect named one of the top largest privately held companies by Crain’s New York
- TransPerfect honored with three awards at 2016 Internet Marketing Association Impact Awards
- TransPerfect releases GlobalLink 5.0 – the industry’s most user-friendly translation management platform
- TransPerfect announces hiring of translation technology pioneer Eric Blassin
- TransPerfect named to SmartCEO Future 50 list for 4th consecutive year
- TransPerfect opens office in Pittsburgh
- TransPerfect named Top Translation and Language Service in Best of Elearning! Awards for fourth consecutive year
- TransPerfect opens office in Sioux Falls
2015
- TransPerfect opens office in Helsinki
- TransPerfect hires 3,500th employee
- TransPerfect hosts the first annual GlobalLink User Conference in San Francisco
- TransPerfect introduces TransCEND 9.5
- TransPerfect Legal Solutions opens Toronto e-discovery and document review facility
- TransPerfect Legal Solutions receives top honors in New York Law Journal Reader Rankings
- TransPerfect named "Best Translation Solution" by Internet Marketing Association
- TransPerfect named to the Inc. 5000 List of America's Fastest Growing Private Companies
- TransPerfect releases new GlobalLink technology website
- TransPerfect wins SmartCEO's Best Company Culture Award
- TransPerfect opens office in Taipei
- TransPerfect named "Top Translation and Language Service" in Best of ELearning! Awards for third consecutive year
- TransPerfect revenues surpass $500 million
2014
- TransPerfect opens office in Bangkok
- TransPerfect opens office in Princeton
- TransPerfect hires 3,000th employee
- TransPerfect named recipient of the World Trade Week's 2014 Global Technology Award
- TransPerfect opens office in Luxembourg
- Women Presidents' Organization names TransPerfect to the list of "Top 50 Fastest Growing Women-Owned/Led Companies Worldwide"
- TransPerfect revenues surpass $470 million
- TransPerfect wins women-owned business Delta Star Award
- TransPerfect named Rockwell Collins' supplier of the year
2013
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TransPerfect opens office in Budapest
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TransPerfect opens office in Oslo
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TransPerfect named a Blue Chip winner at the 2013 SmartCEO Future 50 awards
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Crain’s New York Business ranks TransPerfect among "Largest Privately Held Companies"
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Manhattan Chamber of Commerce names TransPerfect the 2013 Global Business of the Year
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TransPerfect named a winner of the 2013 Inc. Hire Power Awards
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TransPerfect wins patent infringement case over MotionPoint in U.S. Federal Court
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Crain's New York Business ranks TransPerfect #2 among "Largest Women-Owned Companies"
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TransPerfect named Best Translation and Localization Service by Elearning! magazine readers
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TransPerfect recognized on Inc.’s List of America’s fastest-growing companies – the Inc. 5000
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TransPerfect ranked on the Women Presidents' Organization's and American Express OPEN's list of "Top 50 Fastest Growing Women-Led Companies"
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TransPerfect opens office in Saint Petersburg
- TransPerfect opens office in Johannesburg
- TransPerfect opens office in Vienna
- Revenues surpass $400 million
2012
- TransPerfect named one of "NY Area's Largest Privately Held Companies" by Crain's New York Business
- TransPerfect opens office in Copenhagen
- TransPerfect named one of "Largest Women-Owned Companies" in Crain's New York Business
- TransPerfect acquires Digital Reef
- TransPerfect named one of "Fastest Growing Companies" in Crain's New York Business
- TransPerfect named to the Inc. 5000 list for 2012
- TransPerfect opens office in Buenos Aires
- TransPerfect merges with Yamane Documentation
- TransPerfect named one of the fastest-growing women-led companies in America by the Women Presidents' Organization and American Express
- TransPerfect Legal Solutions merges with litigation support provider CRG
- TransPerfect ranked #1 on DiversityBusiness.com’s list of the “Top 100 Women Owned Businesses in New York”
- TransPerfect ranked on DiversityBusiness.com’s list of the “Top 500 Diversity Owned Businesses in the US”
- TransPerfect opens office in Madrid
- TransPerfect opens office in Rome
- Revenues surpass $340 million
2011
- TransPerfect merges with WorldLingo
- TransPerfect's GlobalLink OneLink website localization solution receives PCI DSS certification
- TransPerfect Co-CEO Liz Elting receives Diversity Journal’s “Women Worth Watching Award”
- TransPerfect Remote Interpreting founded with state-of-the-art facility in Tempe, Arizona
- TransPerfect opens office in São Paulo, Brazil
- TransPerfect named one of top five "Largest Women-Owned Companies" in Crain's New York Business
- TransPerfect named to the Inc. 5000 list for 2011
- TransPerfect opens office in Palma de Mallorca, Spain
- TransPerfect opens office in Shanghai, China
- TransPerfect acquires language services provider Milim
- TransPerfect opens office in Seoul, South Korea
- TransPerfect introduces GlobalLink 4.0
- TransPerfect named one of the fastest-growing women-led companies in America by the Women Presidents' Organization and American Express
- TransPerfect CEO Liz Elting receives the “Distinguished Alumnae Award” from New York University’s Stern School of Business
- TransPerfect ranked #1 on DiversityBusiness.com’s list of the “Top 100 Women Owned Businesses in New York”
- TransPerfect ranked on DiversityBusiness.com’s list of the “Top 500 Diversity Owned Businesses in the US”
- Revenues surpass $300 million
2010
- TransPerfect named one of "NY Area's Largest Privately Held Companies" by Crain's New York Business
- TransPerfect named to the Technology Fast 500, Deloitte's official ranking of the fastest growing technology companies in North America
- TransPerfect opens offices in Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio
- TransPerfect introduces new iPhone™ application, TransImage
- TransPerfect named one of "Top Ten Women-Owned Companies" in Crain's New York Business
- TransPerfect named to the Inc. 5000 list for 2010
- TransPerfect opens office in Düsseldorf, Germany
- Translations.com opens office in Bogotá, Colombia
- TransPerfect opens office in Lyon, France
- TransPerfect merges with AD-COM
- TransPerfect opens office in Mexico City
- TransPerfect named fifth fastest-growing women-led company in America by the Women Presidents' Organization and American Express
- TransPerfect merges with Astoria Software
- TransPerfect opens office in Zurich, Switzerland
- TransPerfect VP Jessica Eker named "National VP of Sales of the Year" at the 2010 Stevie Awards
- Revenues surpass $250 million
2009
- TransPerfect named one of "NY Area's Largest Privately Held Companies" by Crain's New York Business
- Translations.com named a PhoCusWright Travel Innovation Summit Finalist
- TransPerfect named to the Technology Fast 500, Deloitte's official ranking of the fastest growing technology companies in North America
- Overtaal re-certified as SAP translation partner
- TransPerfect named one of Top Ten Women-Owned Companies in Crain's New York Business
- TransPerfect named to the Inc. 5000 list for 2009
- Translations.com releases GlobalLink Project Director 2.0
- iSP awarded EN 15038 certification
- TransPerfect Legal Solutions launches Case Interactive 8.0
- Crimson Life Sciences releases medical device labeling survey that exposes serious translation risks
- TransPerfect opens office in Prague
- Alchemy Software Development releases CATALYST 8.0
- International Software Products (iSP) awarded ISO 9001 certification
- TransPerfect wins "Sales Meeting of the Year" at the 2009 Stevie® Awards
- Revenues surpass $220 million
2008
- TransPerfect named one of "NY Area's Largest Privately Held Companies" by Crain's New York Business
- TransPerfect announces new office opening in Milan, Italy
- TransPerfect Deal Interactive announces world's first global virtual data room
- Alchemy Software Development unveils ALCHEMY PUBLISHER 2.0
- TransPerfect awarded EN 15038 certification by the European Committee for Standardization
- TransPerfect named one of Top Ten Women-Owned Companies in Crain's New York Business
- TransPerfect Co-Founder, Phil Shawe, is named to the "40 Under 40" list by Crain’s New York Business
- TransPerfect opens office in Dubai
- TransPerfect opens new office in Phoenix
- TransPerfect expands European presence with new office in Berlin
- General Colin Powell, USA (Ret.) deliverers keynote address during TransPerfect's 15th Anniversary Leadership Summit
- The Office of Mayor Michael Bloomberg officially proclaims December 9, 2007 "TransPerfect Day" at TransPerfect's 15th Anniversary Gala Dinner
- Revenues surpass $200 million
2007
- TransPerfect celebrates its 15th anniversary!
- TransPerfect named one of "NY Area's Largest Privately Held Companies" by Crain's New York Business
- TransPerfect achieves ISO 9001 certification in Asia
- TransPerfect named one of Top Ten Women-Owned Companies in Crain's New York Business
- TransPerfect Co-CEO, Liz Elting, receives “Alumni Medal for Excellence” from her alma mater, Trinity College
- Translations.com and iSP Merge
- TransPerfect Legal Solutions opens a litigation support and
e-discovery facility in Philadelphia - TransPerfect opens office in Dublin, Ireland
- TransPerfect merges with Deal Interactive
- TransPerfect bases its Automotive Practice Group in Detroit
- TransPerfect opens new production hub in Sydney, Australia
- TransPerfect’s European operations expand to Barcelona
- Translations.com recognized by Deloitte & Touche Fast 50 Program
- Revenues surpass $150 million
2006
- TransPerfect named one of “NY Area's Largest Privately Held Companies” by Crain's New York Business
- TransPerfect named one of "NY Area's Largest Women-Owned Companies" in Crain's New York Business
- TransPerfect Deposition Services founded
- Epic Global Solutions joins family of companies
- Translations.com and ArchiText merge
- Translations.com recognized by Deloitte & Touche Fast 50 Program
- TransPerfect acquires Crimson Life Sciences to form TransPerfect Medical Device Solutions
- Revenues surpass $110 million
2005
- Founders repurchase all outstanding Translations.com stock, giving rise to TransPerfect’s family of companies
- Crimson Life Sciences joins TransPerfect
- Translations.com is awarded ISO 9001 certification
- TransPerfect accepted as GSA supplier
- Translations.com recognized by Deloitte & Touche Fast 50 Program
- Revenues surpass $70 million
2004
- TransPerfect Staffing Solutions founded
- TransPerfect’s Pro Bono Program for public interest created
- Liz Elting wins American Express and Entrepreneur’s Woman of the Year Award
- TransPerfect achieves ISO 9001 certification in Europe
- Revenues surpass $50 million
2003
- Translations.com recognized by Deloitte & Touche Fast 50 Program. Subsequent recognition would be earned in 2005, 2006, and 2007
- TransPerfect achieves ISO 9001 certification in US
- Revenues surpass $35 million
2002
- Translations.com premiers the GlobalLink® technology suite
- Translations.com merges with software development company eTranslate
2001
- LFI (Language for Industry) and TransPerfect merge, adding resources in Boston, Denver, and Portland
- TransPerfect executives earn Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award
- TransPerfect opens first Asian office in Hong Kong
2000
- TransPerfect makes Inc. 500 list of Fastest Growing Privately-Held Companies
- Revenues surpass $20 million
1999
- Translations.com founded to meet growing need for website and software localization
1998
- Revenues surpass $10 million
- TransPerfect opens first international location in London
1996
- TransPerfect opens offices in Atlanta and Washington, DC
1995
- TransPerfect moves to permanent headquarters at Three Park Avenue in NYC
- First external office opens in San Francisco
1992
- December 9, 1992 – TransPerfect founded by Liz Elting and Phil Shawe