Dutch-based Speaksee raises €1M+ to assist hearing-impaired and deaf people to participate in group conversations

Rotterdam-based Speaksee, a speech recognition app designed to help hearing-impaired and deaf individuals participate in group conversations, has raised over €1M in fresh funding for international expansion and developing new inclusive technologies.

The app addresses the challenge faced by hearing-impaired and deaf people in both business and private settings, where it is difficult to follow conversations involving multiple participants, leading to missed information.

Speaksee raised €800K from investors including NoorderImpact, the founders of DataSnipper, and angel investors via Rabobank’s Money Meets Ideas network. 

Additionally, €240K of previously raised convertible loans was converted into equity. Generous Minds and Zebra Legal supported the funding round.

Sjoerd Zijlstra of NoorderImpact, says, “Speaksee matches very well with our goal to empower excluded groups in social situations. Its team is driven and has a strong connection to the target group. Therefore, we can’t think of a better company to make this initiative successful.”

Making conversations accessible to everyone

With both parents being deaf, founder Jari Hazelebach recognised the challenges hearing-impaired and deaf people face in following group conversations. To address this, he and co-founder Marcel van der Ven launched Speaksee in 2022.

Speaksee has enabled hearing-impaired and deaf people to participate in group conversations actively.

Founder Hazelebach and his team developed an app that converts spoken words into written text, using colour-coded microphones to identify up to nine speakers. 

The app translates group conversations into accurate text in 40 languages, with colours integrated into transcripts to distinguish speakers. It filters out background noise, helping users follow the conversation and understand who said what.

The company aims to increase inclusivity by using technology to remove language barriers, enabling everyone to reach their full potential.

Speaksee is used by hundreds in the Netherlands and several companies, including KPN, Rabobank, and PwC. Recently, the company was approved to be reimbursed by the Dutch Employee Insurance Agency (UWV), making it the first speech recognition app to receive this recognition.

Gerard de Gooijer, Senior Advisor Business Management Domain ICT at the Dutch Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations, says, “At the central government, we are very excited about the use of Speaksee and see significant benefits. Whereas on average no more than 10 to 12 per cent of people with a disability moved on to permanent employment after their trial placement, this percentage has increased to about half thanks to the use of inclusive technology. Additionally, it also significantly increases the advancement opportunities in their career.”

Capital utilisation

The funds will be used for Speaksee’s expansion into the UK, Switzerland, Denmark, and Norway, chosen for their favourable reimbursement options for assistive devices. Speaksee is also exploring expansion into Germany. 

Additionally, the company will develop its technology further to enhance accessibility in various settings, such as lectures, conferences, auditoriums, funeral homes, and churches, through AI-based subtitling and translation technology. 

Speaksee is also working on new applications to improve inclusivity for non-native speakers.

Speaksee’s founder Hazelebach, says, “NoorderImpact is one of the few investors that has included social inclusion as a company pillar. We are extremely pleased with the confidence of our financiers in us and our technology.”

“The funding raised brings us one step closer to our goal: a society where everyone can actively participate in conversations and interaction, in any situation.”