Whispp, which first aimed to help people with stutters and ALS, has raised €5 million from LUMO Labs to work with mobile and PC device makers.
The company says its assistive technology mission is now “waiting for the right foundation.” The new funding will go toward developing AI models, creating new products, and building partnerships with semiconductor companies.
The global voice recognition market is expected to grow from $22.51 billion in 2026 to $61.78 billion by 2031. Whispp now plans to move beyond accessibility and enter the larger commercial market.
As a child, Joris Castermans struggled with stuttering, which led to social isolation in high school. He noticed that people who stutter often speak more smoothly when they whisper.
This realisation in 2018 inspired the creation of Whispp, which spent six years as a solution for around 300 million people worldwide with voice disabilities or severe stutters. Today, the company announced a €5 million funding round to boost AI model development, new products, and partnerships with device makers and semiconductor companies, with a focus on OEMs rather than patients.
