- Vasco of Kraków focuses on a close-knit team, social activities and new products.
- 2022: 75 thousand devices sold (+50%), 85 million PLN (+64%), net profits: 17 million PLN (+44%)
- New stores in Paris and Mallorca and 4 in Dubai
- New offices in Portugal and Germany
- During the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, equipment was purchased by the country’s government
- Design awards and a nomination for the GLOMO award at the MWC show in Barcelona
- Vasco Translators support humanitarian and aid organizations
In the shadows of the war in Ukraine in February 2022, during one of the most important electronics fairs in Europe, MWC Barcelona, the Cracow-based company previewed a new model of a translator — Vasco Translator V4. The device went on mass sale 5 months later.
The translator, which supports 76 languages in conversations and 108 when translating from photos, was also presented at the following important technology fairs: IFA in Berlin, GITEX in Dubai, Japan IT Week in Tokyo, and, this January, at the world’s largest trade show, CES in Las Vegas.
The pandemic has caused uncertainty and reduced travel — both private and business. It turned out that, without any problems, many meetings and business conversations could take place online. Despite this, the company doubled its sales during the pandemic, reaching an excellent figure of 50,000 translators sold in 2021, explains Maciej Góralski, the CEO of Vasco. “The opening of borders and travel opportunities brought the expected increase in the devices sold. In 2022, the number of translators sold increased by 50%, and turnover as well as profit increased by 64% and 44%, respectively.
After Russia’s attack on Ukraine, Vasco withdrew from the Russian market. Although the sales network there was not yet well-developed, the company decided to abandon its planned activities and engaged in its own Stand with Ukraine campaign. More than 500 electronic translators were lent to nearly 200 NGOs and services, particularly medical services supporting refugees. The translators helped break down language barriers and better understand the needs of migrants at borders, including the Polish-Belarus one. The Vasco electronic translators also helped in ambulances, hospitals and among individual doctors across Poland.
Vasco not only supports and develops its own team, but also supports organizations providing humanitarian and medical aid to people in emergency situations around the world. The company has donated its devices to the Minority Rights Group, the Survivor Foundation, and Medics on the Border, among others. Maciej Góralski, a paramedic himself, initiated the formation of the PMM Vasco Emergency Team, which was created in cooperation with the Polish Medical Mission. The team is currently recruiting and seeking accreditation from the World Health Organization (WHO).
– The electronic translator is a support, not only for those who do not know foreign languages. It can support those who know them well, such as English, in a situation where the other party does not know them at all, and there is a need to communicate. – explains Maciej Góralski – This can be clearly seen in the example of medical services, where thanks to the electronic translator, patient service time is reduced. The devices also come in handy when many cultures meet in one place, such as during major events like the World Cup in Qatar.
In 2022, the company increased its workforce by 37%, specifically to 200 people. It also opened 6 new stores – in France, Spain, the United Arab Emirates, Budapest and Rome – and 2 sales offices – in Germany and Portugal.
Vasco’s products are recognized by customers and the industry not only for their functionality, but also for their design. This is evidenced by winning the most prestigious awards in the industrial design category – the Red Dot Design Award, dubbed the “Oscar of design,” and the New York Product Design, the latter awarded in 2021 for the M3 model and in 2022 for the company’s newest translator. In addition, Vasco Translator V4 received the Good Design Award, an accolade given by the Japan Institute for Design Promotion.
In addition to product-focused awards, Vasco owner and CEO, Maciej Góralski, was also recognized in the EY Entrepreneur of the Year competition, where he was a finalist in the New Technology/Innovation category. He was also nominated for the Indifference Award from the Auschwitz Institute for Human Rights for his work on behalf of Ukraine.
