Speaklee secures Topsector ICT Grant to tackle speech care waiting lists with PhonoLearn AI

Date: 2026-03-23

We are pleased to share that Speaklee, in close collaboration with the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (Department of Language, Literature, and Communication), has been granted the Topsector ICT mkb subsidy of €425K, for a joint project: PhonoLearn AI.

A Shared Mission for Speech Care: PhonoLearn AI

The project brings together Speaklee’s expertise in AI speech technology and the VU Amsterdam’s deep linguistic research. By combining their strengths, they're working to address a pressing societal challenge: the growing shortage of speech and language therapy services.

In the Netherlands, 84% of therapists report waiting lists. This means many children receive support later than they should. The Speaklee x VU Amsterdam team is developing PhonoLearn AI to help bridge this gap.

What Speaklee and VU Amsterdam are building together

While current digital tools often only recognize individual sounds, the collaborative goal is to develop a new generation of AI that:

• Identifies Phonological Processes: Automatically detects the error patterns essential for a proper diagnosis.
• Supports Professionals: Provides therapists with objective, interpretable insights to help them work more efficiently.
• Ensures Ethical Innovation: Follows ELSA principles to keep the technology human-centered and transparent.

Quint Wiersma, founder of Speaklee: "With the support of our partners this project is more than just a technical milestone. It is a step toward a hybrid care model where digital support and professional expertise work hand-in-hand to reduce waiting times and improve outcomes for children everywhere. We are honored to embark on this research journey with the VU Amsterdam and look forward to the impact we can make together".

Would you like to be part of DLAB, just like Speaklee?

Speaklee is part of Demonstrator Lab VU, the University's incubator where academics become entrepreneurs.
Are you a researcher and would you like to connect to an entrepreneurial community on campus, get in touch: https://www.demonstratorlab.nl

Want to learn more about Speaklee's journey at the VU? Quint recently featured in the Studio VU podcast, interviewed by Sem Barendse dialogue coordinator at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU), about going from idea to startup.