NEW YORK, NY — Nagish, a startup utilizing AI to improve communication accessibility for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals, announced $16 million in new funding. This includes $11 million from a Series A round led by Canaan Partners, with participation from existing investors K5 Global, Tokyo Black, Cardumen Capital, Vertex Ventures Israel, Contour Venture Partners, and Precursor Ventures, along with the founders of Datadog and Looker. This financing adds to Nagish’s earlier $5 million seed round and will support the ongoing development of its AI-powered communication tools.
“Nagish is not just another AI app. It’s a catalyst for empowerment, independence, and social inclusion, inspiring a new era of communication for millions of individuals with hearing loss,” said Laura Chau, partner at Canaan.
Leveraging AI to Improve Accessibility
Nagish aims to bridge the communication gap for the hard-of-hearing community by leveraging advanced AI to create accessible, intuitive, and practical tools. With the new capital, Nagish plans to enhance its product offerings, expand its reach, and ensure that more individuals globally can benefit from seamless communication. These advancements will help individuals connect, learn, and thrive, reinforcing Nagish’s commitment to the hearing loss community.
“This funding is a testament to the critical need for innovative solutions that address the daily challenges faced by millions of people who are deaf or hard of hearing. We believe in a future where inclusivity and accessibility are not just ideals but everyday realities, and Nagish is pioneering a new era of communication.”
–Tomer Aharoni, Nagish CEO and co-founder
According to the company’s announcement, Nagish has developed the first end-to-end private relay service that allows deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals to communicate without a third party. Its flagship product is an AI-powered speech-to-text and text-to-speech phone app that provides highly accurate and instantaneous transcription of spoken language into text.
Nagish offers real-time transcription, customizable text display options, an intuitive interface, and voice modulation features, making it a comprehensive communication tool for individuals with hearing loss. This tool enables users to follow conversations in real-time, enhancing personal interactions and improving accessibility while ensuring privacy and security.
Tens of thousands of individuals worldwide have already benefited from Nagish’s technology, which helps users communicate independently without the need for interpreters or assistants. The company also partners with large enterprises, including Comcast, Pfizer, NBCUniversal, and Amazon, whose employees use Nagish for personal and business communication.
Nagish recently received certification from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to provide telecommunication relay services, a significant milestone that emphasizes its commitment to regulatory compliance and user safety. This certification allows Nagish to operate as a trusted and regulated provider of relay services, making it one of the few certified providers and further validating its commitment to setting new standards for accessibility and ease of use.
With this financial support, Nagish plans to introduce new products to the market and expand its hiring efforts, bringing in top talent in AI development, product design, and customer support to ensure ongoing success for its users.
About Nagish
Nagish is dedicated to creating AI-powered communication tools for individuals with hearing loss. By leveraging advanced technology, Nagish aims to make communication seamless and accessible for everyone, fostering inclusivity and empowering individuals to connect, work, and thrive. For more information about Nagish, please visit www.nagish.com.
Source: Nagish
