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Nagish Acquires Sign.mt to Drive Research in AI and Sign Language. Read the announcement
Nagish News
January 4, 2025
5min

Nagish 2024 in Review: A Year of Milestones and Growth

Explore Nagish’s 2024 achievements, including FCC certification, Live Transcribe, and $11M Series A. Join us in 2025 as we expand accessibility further!

Author:
Annica Lin
Nagish 2024 in Review: A Year of Milestones and Growth
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As we look back on 2024, it’s incredible to see how much we’ve accomplished together. From receiving FCC certification for our IP Captioned Telephone Service (IP CTS) to launching new features, 2024 has been a testament to Nagish’s unwavering commitment to empowering individuals with hearing loss. Earlier in 2024, we raised an $11M Series A. The investment has enabled Nagish to scale our operations, enhance our offerings, and bring Nagish to more people. Here’s a recap of our highlights from the past year:

FCC Certification for IP CTS (January 2024)

We began the year with a monumental accomplishment: receiving FCC certification for our IP Captioned Telephone Service (IP CTS). This certification underscores our commitment to delivering reliable, high-quality captioning services for individuals with hearing loss. It’s a testament to our efforts to provide accessible and seamless communication for all.

Live Transcribe Launch (February 2024)

In February, we introduced our highly anticipated Live Transcribe feature. This innovation brought real-time transcription to our users, enabling them to follow conversations effortlessly and stay connected in an increasingly dynamic world. Live Transcribe represents a major step forward in creating an inclusive and accessible communication experience.

Caption your calls for free.
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Series A Fundraising (May 2024)

In May, we reached another pivotal moment: completing our Series A fundraising round. The funds raised will enable us to scale operations, expand our team, and accelerate innovation. This milestone empowers us to bring Nagish to even more users while enhancing the quality and range of our services.

New Features Rollout (June - December 2024)

As the year progressed, we remained focused on delivering enhancements that prioritize user experience. In 2024, we unveiled several new features:

  • Service Directory + ChatGPT Access: Users can now access a curated directory of resources and interact with ChatGPT for conversational support and guidance.
  • Dark Mode: A visually pleasing and accessible option for users who prefer or require a low-light interface.
  • Demo call: This will enable new users to experience the app's functionality in a simulated environment, showcasing the technology and customizing their experience.
  • Two-Way Captioning: Enabling captions for both ends of a conversation, ensuring clear and inclusive communication.
  • iPad Support: Expanding device compatibility to bring Nagish to more users.
  • Performance and Speed Improvements: Optimizations to ensure our services remain fast, reliable, and effortless.

Looking Ahead to 2025

As we close out 2024, we’re filled with gratitude for our community of users, supporters, and team members who made this year possible. The progress we’ve achieved only strengthens our resolve to innovate further and expand our reach in 2025. Thank you for being part of our journey. Together, we’re creating a world where effortless communication is a reality for all.

Whether you're 18 or 100, staying connected matters—and Nagish is here to help.
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Annica Lin

Annica Lin is the Head of Growth at Nagish, where she drives growth through innovative, data-driven strategies to help individuals with hearing loss communicate more easily. Passionate about accessibility, she leverages her expertise to create meaningful change, ensuring that everyone can connect effortlessly.

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Nagish Acquires Sign.mt to Drive Research in AI and Sign Language. 
‍Read the announcement

Nagish 2024 in Review: A Year of Milestones and Growth

Key Findings

  • Workplace Impact: 62% of Deaf and 66% of Hard-of-Hearing individuals report that communication barriers hinder career mobility.
  • Healthcare Challenges: 62% of Deaf and 66% of Hard-of-Hearing individuals experience communication barriers in healthcare settings, contributing to delays in treatment.
  • Concerns About Emergency Communications: 20% of Deaf and 24.3% Hard-of-Hearing users also expressed serious concerns that communication barriers would prohibit them from contacting healthcare personnel in an emergency situation.
  • Independence Boost: Assistive technology nearly doubled rates of independence, with 60% of Deaf users and 63% of Hard-of-Hearing users reporting increased autonomy.
  • Emotional Strain: 55% of Deaf users and 83% of Hard-of-Hearing users reported emotional distress due to communication frustrations.
  • Social and Professional Opportunities: 46% of Deaf and 32.9% of Hard-of-Hearing users saw improved social and career prospects thanks to assistive technologies.

Empowering the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Through Technology: A New Era of Communication and Independence

At Nagish, we’ve seen firsthand just how much communication shapes daily life for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing communities. Our recent survey highlights the significant barriers they face in the workplace, healthcare settings, and in their social lives. But it also sheds light on a powerful solution: assistive technology. The results of this survey reinforce our commitment to empowering these communities and remind us why our mission matters: with access to the right tools, independence grows, opportunities expand, and well-being improves.

We collected data through a comprehensive survey involving over 300 individuals who are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing and currently use hearing assistive technology. The survey included 179 Deaf and 140 Hard-of-Hearing participants, with data collected in an inclusive and accessible manner to ensure that everyone could participate and share their experiences without barriers.Communication Barriers in the Workplace: Limiting Career Mobility

Communication challenges in the workplace remain one of the most significant hurdles for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing individuals, preventing them from fully realizing their career potential. Assistive technology offers a solution by removing these barriers and expanding access to a broader range of job opportunities and career growth.

Download the PDF Report

A majority of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing participants reported that communication barriers affected their career decisions, making it harder to pursue job opportunities or advance in their careers.

Deaf Participants

Hard-of-Hearing participants

65% of Deaf users rely on assistance from hearing individuals at least once a week to communicate effectively, which can limit their ability to fully engage in dynamic work environments.

Communication Barriers in Healthcare: A Matter of Public Safety
Communication challenges are not just a workplace issue — they extend into healthcare settings, where they can directly impact individuals’ health outcomes. Accessible communication tools are essential for ensuring that Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing individuals can receive timely and accurate medical care, especially in emergency situations

Many Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing users face communication barriers in healthcare settings, which can lead to missed appointments, misunderstandings about medical treatments, and delayed care.

Deaf users:

62%

Hard of Hearing users:

66%

Some Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing users have concerns about reaching healthcare professionals in emergencies, highlighting serious public safety risks.

Deaf users

Hard-of-Hearing users

Empowering Independence Through Assistive Technology
One of the most encouraging findings from our survey is just how much independence is boosted with assistive technology. This improvement in independence is not just about doing things on their own; it’s about having the confidence and ability to engage fully in both professional and personal settings.

Assistive technology has significantly increased the independence of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing users in managing daily tasks, showing clear improvements after adoption.

Deaf users

Hard-of-Hearing users

Expanding Social and Professional Opportunities
Beyond independence, assistive technology creates connection.By removing communication barriers that keep people from joining in socially or professionallyassistive technology allows users to engage more deeply in social activities and pursue career opportunities that were previously out of reach.

Assistive technology has helped Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing users expand their social networks and professional opportunities, enabling new connections and career growth.

Emotional and Psychological Impact: The Hidden Toll of Communication Barriers
People often overlook the emotional and psychological toll of communication , but they can have a profound impact on the mental well-being of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing individuals. Assistive technology can help alleviate this emotional strain, empowering users to communicate more effectively and reducing the anxiety associated with relying on others for basic communication.

A significant number of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing users experience frustration and anxiety when communicating with family and friends, leading to isolation and stress.

Deaf users

Hard-of-Hearing users

Why This Matters: A Call for Widespread Adoption of Assistive Technologies
The findings from our survey are clear: communication barriers continue to limit the lives of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing individuals in many areas, from the workplace to healthcare to their social lives. What’s also clear to us is that the question isn’t whether assistive technology helps—it’s how quickly we can make this powerful solution universally available.. By making these tools more accessible, we can open up new opportunities for individuals to thrive in their careers, maintain better health, and lead more independent lives.
At Nagish, we are committed to advocating for the integration of assistive technologies in all aspects of life. Whether it’s in healthcare, the workplace, or social settings, these technologies have the potential to create a more inclusive society where Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing individuals can live fully empowered lives. 
Our hope is that these findings inspire not just awareness, but action. We hope this survey creates awareness and action in promoting accessibility and inclusion for these communities. Together, we can create a world where everyone, regardless of their hearing abilities, has equal access to opportunities and services.