Latest news with #Straker
Mercury
2 days ago
- Business
- Mercury
Straker adds n8n to growing list of AI platform integrations
Don't miss out on the headlines from Stockhead. Followed categories will be added to My News. Straker has launched an integration with AI workflow platform n8n The company delivered record adjusted EBITDA of $4.8 million in FY25 Ord Minnett has upgraded Straker's price target to 52c Special Report: ASX-listed language tech company Straker has extended its reach into the fast-growing enterprise automation market, announcing a new integration with AI workflow platform n8n. This comes just days after Straker (ASX:STG)reported record profitability and winning a price target upgrade from broker Ord Minnett. The integration introduces Straker's Verify product – its AI-powered translation quality and compliance tool – into n8n's ecosystem, giving over 230,000 active users and 3,000 enterprise clients the ability to automate translations, receive real-time quality scores, and seamlessly escalate content to human linguists when needed. The partnership forms part of Straker's broader platform strategy, which has already seen the company integrate its services into workplace staples like Slack, with plans underway to launch in Microsoft Teams. 'As organisations race to adopt generative AI workflows, translation accuracy and oversight cannot become casualties of speed,' said co-founder and CEO Grant Straker. 'This integration with n8n ensures businesses can move fast without compromising on the quality their global audiences demand. It is yet another example of Straker's strategy of leveraging third-party platforms to cost-effectively broaden the reach of our sales efforts and grow Straker's high-margin recurring revenue.' The new capability is particularly relevant to highly regulated sectors such as financial services, healthcare, and legal, where accuracy and compliance are non-negotiable. Users can deploy Verify to automatically trigger translations, evaluate content quality in real time, and apply human oversight only where needed offering both scale and assurance. Record results, stronger margins The announcement comes off the back of Straker's FY25 financial results, which saw the Auckland-based firm deliver revenue of NZ$44.9 million – at the top end of guidance – and adjusted EBITDA of NZ$4.8 million, a company record. Gross margins rose more than 300 basis points to 67 per cent, reflecting a strategic pivot toward AI-enabled, recurring revenue streams and away from lower-margin, legacy translation work. Ord Minnett responded by lifting its 12-month price target for Straker by 42%to A$0.52 per share, citing stronger-than-expected execution and rising profitability. The broker noted that the company's adjusted EBITDA came in 141% above its forecast and described the platform strategy as a 'margin-accretive opportunity'. 'The earnings uplift and expanding contribution from newer offerings such as SwiftBridge and Verify position the company well heading into FY26,' the note said. The company's SwiftBridge product, developed in partnership with IBM, recently launched in Japan to support new Tokyo Stock Exchange disclosure requirements. Meanwhile, Verify – now accessible via n8n – delivered more than NZ$1 million in new revenue in its first year. Straker ended FY25 with NZ$12.9 million in cash and no debt. The company reduced headcount by 15 per cent across the year, including a 32 per cent cut in its Production segment, contributing to sustained operating leverage as it scales its software-led offerings. While no formal FY26 guidance has been issued, management expects margin expansion and further growth in recurring revenue lines to continue. This article was developed in collaboration with Straker, a Stockhead advertiser at the time of publishing. This article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decisions. Originally published as Language tech specialist Straker adds n8n AI platform integration
Techday NZ
3 days ago
- Business
- Techday NZ
Straker partners with n8n to automate quality AI translations
Straker has expanded its range of AI-powered translation tools through an integration with n8n, an open-source automation platform used by more than 230,000 active users and over 3,000 enterprise clients worldwide. The newly released Straker Verify node is now available within the n8n environment, introducing key capabilities for organisations aiming to automate content translation workflows. The integration enables users to trigger translations automatically when new content is created, receive real-time quality assessments, and direct specific content to human linguists at Straker for further review if required. Straker's approach targets businesses facing the challenge of maintaining translation quality and compliance as they accelerate their use of AI in content creation and localisation efforts. This is particularly relevant for highly regulated sectors, including finance, healthcare, and legal services, where translation accuracy can have compliance implications. Organisations in these sectors benefit from automation by being able to quickly scale global content delivery while ensuring linguistic accuracy and meeting regulatory obligations. The integration automates the decision-making process by assigning real-time quality scores to translations and routing content that scores below a certain threshold or is considered high priority for expert human review. Grant Straker, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Straker, said, "As organisations race to adopt generative AI workflows, translation accuracy and oversight cannot become casualties of speed. This integration with n8n ensures businesses can move fast without compromising on the quality their global audiences demand. It is yet another example of Straker's strategy of leveraging third party platforms to cost effectively broaden the reach of our sales efforts and grow Straker's high margin recurring revenue." The integration is consistent with Straker's ongoing strategy to embed its language solutions within widely used workplace platforms. Previously, Straker developed an application for Slack, which allows users to order translations and monitor progress from within the collaboration platform. The company has also announced intentions to offer a similar solution for Microsoft Teams. The n8n automation platform, headquartered in Berlin, is increasingly used as a foundation for building sophisticated AI-enabled business process flows. It offers flexibility through its open-source nature, allowing businesses to deploy the platform on their own infrastructure and maintain control over their data and AI models. According to the announcement, n8n's deep integration with AI models and tools like LangChain enables technical teams to construct workflows that automate research, generation, refinement, and publication of content across channels. Deploying Straker's Verify node within the n8n ecosystem reflects both companies' focus on supporting complex, AI-driven content operations while ensuring workflow flexibility and regulatory compliance. The newly launched integration is accessible to n8n users who register for Verify AI services. This integration with n8n builds on Straker's history of technical development in AI-driven language services, combining automated translation mechanisms with human linguistic expertise where necessary. Both companies highlight the critical importance of balancing speed and accuracy as the adoption of AI in business workflows accelerates globally.
Evening Standard
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Evening Standard
Food You Want to Eat book review: Bad boy chef Thomas Straker turns over a delicious new leaf
These are recipes that can be easily followed, without special equipment or know-how. Cheffy showing off does not intrude on the instructions. In this way, the cookbook it reminds me of most is Simon Hopkinson's Roast Chicken and Other Stories. The difference is that Hoppy's book is artfully written, whereas Straker's is, in places, rather trite and clichéd ('a hug in a bowl', 'you can't go wrong with…'). But it's an instruction manual, not a novel. Besides, in essence, Straker's book offers the same thing: it is a collection that might never let you down, full of food that could fill both weeknights and weekends, be for dates or holidays with friends or parties in the garden. It is the best I have come across in a long while. Mine will end up dog-eared. No hard feelings then, butter boy.
Mercury
28-05-2025
- Business
- Mercury
Ord Minnett lifts Straker price target
Ord Minnett has upgraded Straker's price target to 52c Straker delivered record adjusted EBITDA of $4.8 million in FY25 The company has accelerated its shift to AI-powered, recurring revenue streams Special Report: Ord Minnett has lifted its 12-month price target for Straker by 42% to 52 cents per share following a better-than-expected FY25 result that saw the AI translation tech company deliver record margins and its strongest ever adjusted EBITDA. Maintaining a hold rating, the broker acknowledged Straker (ASX:STG) strong execution in pivoting away from traditional language services and into AI-led, margin-rich offerings such as SwiftBridge and AI Verify. The result, Ord Minnett noted, came in ahead of expectations across nearly every key metric. Revenue of $44.9 million landed at the top end of guidance and slightly ahead of the broker's forecast, while gross margins surged to 67%, well above the expected 63.8%. Adjusted EBITDA of $4.8 million – the highest in the company's history – came in 141% above expectations. 'The FY25 result exceeded our forecasts on revenue, margins and profitability,' the broker said in a note to clients. 'Execution risks remain, particularly with the upcoming expiry of the IBM contract, but the early traction from Straker's AI offerings positions the company well heading into FY26. FY25 marked a turning point for Straker as it pushed deeper into AI-powered SaaS and enterprise translation tools. While overall revenue was down year-on-year due to a $9.6 million drop in legacy Language Services, that shortfall was partially offset by a $4.7 million gain in Managed Services, which more than doubled. Recurring revenue also strengthened, with subscriptions holding firm and a notable debut from AI Verify, which generated $1.1 million in its first year. The launch of SwiftBridge AI in Japan – developed with IBM and now being sold in partnership with IGUAZU Corporation to meet new Tokyo Stock Exchange regulations is expected to add further upside to Straker's emerging SaaS business. Legacy services now account for just 68% of revenue, down from 81% the year prior, with the company forecasting that trend to continue as high-margin offerings scale. Straker ended the year with $12.9 million in cash and no debt, equivalent to 20c per share. Cost control was a major theme, with operating expenses down 17% and headcount reduced by 15%, including a 32% reduction in the production department. Ord Minnett has lifted its revenue, margin, and EBITDA forecasts through FY28. The broker now expects adjusted EBITDA to more than double between FY26 and FY28, citing improved margin assumptions and fixed-cost leverage. This article was developed in collaboration with Straker, a Stockhead advertiser at the time of publishing. This article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decisions. Originally published as Ord Minnett upgrades Straker as FY25 result beats expectations
The Age
13-05-2025
- General
- The Age
Two beloved dishes, one versatile side: That's dinner sorted
In a dinner showdown between meatballs in tomato sauce and chicken schnitzels with slaw, we call a tie. Add greens, and everyone's a winner. The thing you notice first about Thomas Straker's recipes is their simplicity. Both at home, cooking for his young family, and at his London restaurant Straker's, he advocates turning unassuming ingredients into something amazing by doing as little as possible to mess them up. 'More often than not, the simplest way is also the best way, at least when it comes to food,' Straker writes in the introduction to his aptly titled debut cookbook, Food You Want to Eat. 'The best dishes are those where you do as little as possible to the ingredients you're serving and let them sing.' Here are three guaranteed crowd-pleasers, which use readily available ingredients to stunning effect. Meatballs Meatballs come in many different forms: fried ones, poached ones, small ones, big ones, juicy ones … and then the best ones are my ones. These are big, they are juicy and they are covered in a fresh tomato sauce with basil pesto and mountains of parmesan. INGREDIENTS 1 onion, roughly chopped 3 garlic cloves, peeled leaves from a 30g bunch of parsley 75g dried breadcrumbs 1 egg, lightly beaten 100ml whole milk 300g minced veal 300g minced pork 300g minced beef fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper For the tomato sauce 80ml extra virgin olive oil 8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 2 x 400g cans of good-quality tomatoes 1 basil sprig 2 tsp sugar To serve 4 slices of sourdough bread 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil ½ quantity basil pesto 20g parmesan cheese, finely grated METHOD Start by preparing the meatballs. In a food processor, chop the onion, garlic cloves and parsley leaves very finely with 1 teaspoon of fine salt. Once chopped, add the breadcrumbs, egg and milk and blend until it forms a paste; this will bind with the meat, holding the moisture and keeping the meatballs light. Transfer the paste to a large mixing bowl, then add all the meat, along with 50 grinds of black pepper. Mix well with your hands until very well combined. Divide into 12 large balls weighing about 100g each and place on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Chill in the fridge until ready to use. Meanwhile, make the sauce. Put the olive oil in a medium-sized pan and add the garlic slices. Set over a medium heat and cook gently for 1-2 minutes until the garlic is translucent, being careful not to burn it. At this point, add the tomatoes, basil sprig and sugar and simmer for 30 minutes. To cook the meatballs, transfer the tomato sauce to a large, wide-based pan with a lid and place the meatballs in to poach. Cover with a lid and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until cooked through. At this point, set a griddle pan over a medium-high heat and brush the bread with the olive oil on both sides. Cook until nicely charred on both sides. To serve, place 3 meatballs per person into warmed bowls and spoon over plenty of the tomato sauce. Add a dollop of pesto over the top, then grate over some parmesan. Serve with the grilled bread, to soak up the extra sauce. Serves 4 Basil pesto This world-famous Italian condiment has been around since the 16th century and it's easy to see why it has stood the test of time. Who doesn't love pesto pasta? Pesto can also use a variety of herbs and cheeses, so you could replace the basil with spinach, or the pine nuts with walnuts. I don't use the herb stalks here, because I find using the leaves alone makes for a brighter green pesto. INGREDIENTS leaves from a 200g bunch of basil 80g pine nuts, untoasted 1 garlic clove, finely grated 200ml extra virgin olive oil, plus more to seal 60g parmesan cheese, finely grated sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper METHOD Put the basil leaves in a food processor with the pine nuts, garlic, olive oil and a good pinch of salt. Blend until combined and you have reached your desired consistency; I like to keep mine slightly coarse in texture. Add the grated parmesan and pulse-blend briefly a couple more times, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Put the pesto in a sterilised jar, pouring a little extra olive oil over the top to make a seal that will preserve it for longer. Store in the fridge until ready to use; if covered with oil, it should keep for up to 1 week. Makes about 500g Tip: To sterilise a jar, preheat the oven to 100C fan-forced (120C conventional) while you clean a jar and lid with hot soapy water. Place both the jar and lid on a baking sheet and put them into the oven for 10 minutes. Leave to cool before potting cold mixtures, or use hot if potting hot mixtures. Chicken schnitzel, burnt salsa, fennel slaw There is something quite special about a smashed chicken breast covered in breadcrumbs and fried in oil. This dish is crunchy, juicy and slathered in a sharp, spicy tomato salsa with a refreshing fennel slaw. It was the first recipe video I made during lockdown and it was something I always knew people would connect with. INGREDIENTS 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts 100g plain flour 2 eggs, lightly beaten 200g panko crumbs, or a mix of fresh breadcrumbs and panko vegetable oil sea salt flakes and freshly cracked black pepper 1 lemon, cut into wedges, to serve For the salsa 300g cherry tomatoes 1 onion, roughly chopped 5 garlic cloves, peeled and bashed with the side of a knife blade 1 long red chilli leaves from 30g bunch of coriander, finely chopped 80ml olive oil 60ml white wine vinegar For the slaw 2 fennel bulbs, thinly sliced 3 tbsp mayonnaise juice of 2 lemons METHOD Start by preparing the chicken schnitzel. Use a sharp knife to cut each breast horizontally nearly in half, leaving a piece attached so it remains in a single piece, then open it out to butterfly the breasts. Place the first between sheets of clingfilm or baking paper. Gently bash them out one by one with a rolling pin to an even thickness of ½–1cm. Put the flour, eggs and crumbs into 3 separate shallow bowls and season the flour well. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper ready for the breaded schnitzels to rest on later. First, dip an escalope into the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess, before passing it through the eggs. Finally, press into the crumbs, applying a little pressure to ensure the whole escalope is coated. Try to keep 1 hand dry at all times by alternating between the wet and dry bowls. Put on to a lined baking tray until ready to cook, then repeat to coat all the schnitzels. If preparing them in advance, be sure to keep the escalopes separate; you can stack them on a plate if each is separated by a sheet of baking paper. Next, make the salsa. Place a cast-iron or heavy-based pan over a high heat. Once hot, add the whole cherry tomatoes, onion, garlic and chilli and cook for 3–4 minutes until everything is well-charred all over. Remove from the pan and allow to cool, then finely chop. Put in a bowl with the coriander, olive oil, vinegar and salt to taste. Set aside at room temperature. To make the slaw, mix the fennel, mayonnaise, lemon juice and a generous pinch of salt in a bowl. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt as needed. Serves 4 Spinach with lemon and parmesan Simplicity at its finest. You never knew spinach could be so good. INGREDIENTS 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 2-3 garlic cloves, finely grated 400g bunch of spinach, larger leaves if possible 1 lemon 50g parmesan cheese, finely grated sea salt flakes and freshly cracked black pepper METHOD Set a frying pan over a medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the garlic and cook gently for about 30 seconds until softened. Add your spinach to the pan; don't worry if it is still a bit wet from washing, the water will help to steam it. Add a pinch of salt and increase the heat, because you want to cook the spinach quickly to retain its freshness. Cook for 1-2 minutes until wilted, then check the seasoning and add more salt if necessary. Serve immediately, drizzled with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, a generous squeeze of lemon juice, the grated parmesan and some cracked black pepper. Serves 4 as a side dish This is an edited extract from Food You Want to Eat by Thomas Straker. Published by Bloomsbury Publishing. Photography by Issy Croker. RRP $49.99
