Tontongue, a startup founded by Brazilian Eduardo Barbato and based in Australia, was recently named as a finalist for the prestigious Australia-Latin America Business Council (ALABC) Business Excellence Awards 2024, in Category C, aimed at entities with less than 20 employees. The announcement of the winners took place on August 7, during a gala dinner at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Melbourne. Although Tontongue did not win the main award, its nomination highlights the relevance of the company in the competitive global startup scenario.
The ALABC Business Excellence Awards is one of the main recognitions for companies operating in Latin America and evaluates rigorous criteria such as strategy, business growth, ESG policies, innovation and commitment to the region. Being among the finalists reflects the success of Tontongue, which has been distinguished by its performance in an international market with constant expansion and competitiveness.
The business is responsible for offering an innovative system for hiring, managing and executing simultaneous translations at events. Pioneer as the “marketplace of” interpretations, it offers specialized software and a sales team in European countries, which allows the realization of the service in several countries of the world.
The startup landscape in Australia has shown significant growth in recent years. According to the Global Startup Ecosystem Report 2023 (GSER 2023), the cities of Sydney and Melbourne are among the top 50 startup ecosystems, attracting a total of USD 14 billion in venture capital funding between 2018 and 2022. This favorable environment has allowed Tontongue to establish and expand its operations.
Eduardo Barbato, CEO of Tontongue, highlighted the importance of recognition: “Being a finalist of the ALABC Business Excellence Awards is an honor for our entire team. This recognition validates our innovation strategy and prominence in a global market, in addition to reinforcing our commitment to excellence. The Brazilian market is our main source of revenue and was very important for us to validate the idea, but we will continue to explore new opportunities in Australia and beyond”.
Tontongue's appointment as a finalist marks a significant milestone for Latin American startups seeking success on the international stage.The company continues to strengthen its presence in Australia, known for representing a large part of the corporate events market.
