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Skip to content Toggle Navigation * News * Events * TNW Conference 2024 June 20 & 21, 2024 * All events * Spaces * Programs -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Newsletters * Partner with us * * * * * * * Jobs * Contact The Next Web News news news news * Latest * Deep tech * Sustainability * Ecosystems * Data and security * Fintech and ecommerce * Future of work * More * Startups and technology * Investors and funding * Government and policy * Corporates and innovation * Gadgets & apps Have you convinced your boss yet? Groups get the best deals 🎟️ Buy now before price increase → * Deep tech HOW THIS STARTUP USES AI TO GIVE SPEECH-IMPAIRED PEOPLE THEIR VOICE BACK Having just secured fresh funding, Whispp was named a CES 2024 Innovation Award honouree January 9, 2024 - 5:30 pm ADVERTISEMENT There is big tech — and then there is smaller tech with big impact. Dutch AI startup Whispp is using assistive voice technology to convert speech diminished by ailments such as stuttering, throat cancer, vocal cord paralysis, and ALS, into the person’s original, natural voice. The startup, based in Eindhoven, just secured a €750,000 seed funding round led by LUMO Labs to launch its assistive voice technology and its first paid and subscription-based calling app. Whispp will also use the funds raised to expand into European and US markets. Furthermore, the company is one of this year’s CES 2024 Innovation Award honourees. Voice distortions from stuttering or following afflictions such as throat cancer or ALS affect over 300 million people worldwide. Whispp’s proprietary technology uses recordings of a person’s “old” healthy voice to turn their real-time, affected speech into a clear voice. This is then modified with the intended intonation, modulation, and emotion. Those who still have a natural voice but for instance stutter, can simply record their current speech with the app. The <3 of EU tech The latest rumblings from the EU tech scene, a story from our wise ol' founder Boris, and some questionable AI art. It's free, every week, in your inbox. Sign up now! Your email address* * I agree to TNW storing and processing my personal data to receive the requested newsletter(s). For more information check out TNW's Privacy Policy. * This audio-to-audio-based approach eliminates the typical latency of 2-3 seconds for text-to-speech technologies, which can create barriers and disrupt communication. The technology also builds on the fact that for several voice and speech disorders it is helpful to deliberately steer the voice towards whispering, due to neurological changes in the speech system. “Our big bold dream is to have Whispp’s assistive voice technology available on every smartphone and laptop worldwide to create a more inclusive world,” said Whispp founder and CEO Joris Castermans, adding that LUMO Labs’ experience would help the company partner with network operators and tech companies to help achieve its goal. AI VOICE TECH FOR GOOD Castermans, who himself stuttered as a child, founded Whispp together with Akash Raj, who is the company’s CTO, in 2019. The latest funding follows a 2022 pre-seed round led by Libertatis Ergo Holding B.V., an independent, wholly-owned subsidiary of Leiden University, which also participated in the seed round. Essentially, this is a perfect example of how tech isn’t good or bad in and of itself — its impact will depend on how we use it. As the world frets over deepfakes (and with good reason), we can also use AI voice technology to enhance human communication and connection. It could also significantly contribute to diversity, equity, and inclusion. “The ability to speak heavily affects an individual’s wellbeing and sense of belonging. More than 1% of the global population however suffer some kind of progressive loss of speech and/or speech impediments,” LUMO Labs founding partner Andy Lürling stated. “Whispp allows these people to literally be heard and participate and contribute to society like anyone else.” STORY BY LINNEA AHLGREN Linnea is the senior editor at TNW, having joined in April 2023. She has a background in international relations and covers clean and climat (show all) Linnea is the senior editor at TNW, having joined in April 2023. She has a background in international relations and covers clean and climate tech, AI and the politics of technology. But first, coffee. GET THE TNW NEWSLETTER Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week. Your email address* * I agree to TNW storing and processing my personal data to receive the requested newsletter(s). For more information check out TNW's Privacy Policy. * ALSO TAGGED WITH * Startup company * Funding * AI Published January 9, 2024 - 5:30 pm UTC Back to top Story by Linnea Ahlgren Jobs For You BY Amply  SAP SD Authorizations Key User (m/w/d) Hoffmann Group München   Java Developer InTraffic De Bilt   IT Administrator Mainframe (w/m/d) Dataport AöR Hamburg   Verkäufer Farben & Creativ (m/w/d) BAUHAUS Neuwied   Java Developer (full remote) - IT Alten Lavoro da casa Fino a 40.000 € all'anno  Search More Roles RELATED ARTICLES deep tech EU JOINS UK IN SCRUTINISING OPENAI’S RELATIONSHIP WITH MICROSOFT ecosystems 2024’S MOST IMPORTANT TRAVEL TECH TRENDS JOIN TNW ALL ACCESS Watch videos of our inspiring talks for free → Sign up now deep tech THE FIVE BIGGEST ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TRENDS FOR BANKING IN 2024 fintech ecommerce WHAT CAN WE EXPECT FROM EUROPEAN FINTECH IN 2024? 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