Yap Inc. Named Early Stage Company of the Year at the 2007 NCTA 21 Awards
Posted: 11-20-2007 : CHARLOTTE, N.C.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Yap, the creator of an advanced platform for real-time speech recognition, which allows users to send text messages or access web services by simply speaking into their mobile phones, announced that the company has received the "Early Stage Company of the Year Award" at the 2007 NCTA 21 Awards. Winners were recognized Thursday night at the annual awards gala at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Cary, N.C., presented in conjunction with title sponsor Grant Thornton. The theme for this year's event was "A Blockbuster Year" and more than 500 executives and leaders attended the event from across the state.

"We sincerely appreciate this recognition for our team's groundbreaking work in defining the next generation of multimodal experiences for users of all ages and backgrounds," said Igor Jablokov, CEO & Co-Founder of Yap. "Using free-form speech as your input, paired together with an immersive graphical environment, delivers the most human friendly interaction possible on small form factor devices, especially in this age of information overload. This validation asserts the public's hunger for something better, and we are looking forward to this visibility accelerating the required industry partnerships to make this a reality for all." One day soon, you will be able to say, 'Why is the sky blue?' and get an answer within a couple seconds. This changes the dynamics of human computer interaction and will accelerate knowledge transfer for all aspects of our society.

The NCTA 21 Awards are recognized as North Carolina's largest and most prestigious awards devoted to promoting and celebrating innovation and high-tech excellence in North Carolina. This annual showcase honors 21 companies and individuals who represent the best and brightest in technology and business and have demonstrated outstanding leadership and innovation. The awards are grouped in five categories: Technology Industry Awards, Stage of Development Awards, Functional Awards, Leadership Awards and Excellence Awards. Each year, NCTA also presents an Outstanding Achievement Award to an individual who has demonstrated a career-long commitment to the advancement of the technology industry in North Carolina.

"The NCTA 21 Awards recognizes companies and individuals in North Carolina for their diligence and innovation in implementing successful business plans, excelling in the marketplace and their contributions to the community," says Bob Hawkins, 2007 Chairman of the NCTA Board of Directors. "We look forward to this event every year so we can celebrate not only the finalists but all the companies and individuals who actively promote the growth of knowledge-based jobs in North Carolina."

For additional information or to view a list of past winners, visit www.nc-tech.org. Sponsors of this year's NCTA 21 Awards include: Grant Thornton; EMC Corporation; SAS; Triangle Business Journal; AT&T; Credit Suisse; Alphanumeric Systems, Inc.; The Staubach Group; Womble Carlyle Sandridge & Rice, PLLC; Resolvit; Wyrick Robbins Yates & Ponton LLP; Brooks Pierce McLendon Humphrey and Leonard, LLP; Cherry, Bekaert & Holland, LLP; Embarq; Microsoft Corporation; Smith, Anderson, Blount, Dorsett, Mitchell & Jernigan, LLP; SunCom Wireless; and Business Wire. About NCTA

The North Carolina Technology Association (NCTA) is a not-for-profit membership-driven trade organization and the primary voice of the information technology industry in North Carolina. NCTA is the intersection of leadership and technology, fueling the growth of North Carolina through Executive Engagement, Public Affairs, and a Knowledge Workforce. For more information, visit www.nc-tech.org.

About Yap
Yap has created a state-of-the-art telco-grade platform that unifies free-form speech recognition, mobile search, media delivery, and contextual advertising to support the varied needs of wireless carriers, device makers, mobile developers, and web services. The team includes the inventors of next generation web-based multimodal user interfaces, who previously worked on a myriad of market leading products, including Apple's iPod, Honda's navigational systems, IBM's ViaVoice, and Opera's Browser. Most recently, the Company was featured as a finalist in Silicon Valley's prestigious TechCrunch40 event and garnered several awards for its capabilities, including Dealmaker Media's "Under the Radar | Mobility" 2007 Audience Pick in the Voice Services Sector, North Carolina CED's Tech 2007 Demo Award Winner, and as a UNCC Five Ventures 2006 Finalist. Yap was founded in early 2006, is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, and remains privately funded. For more information please visit http://www.yapme.com.