For hundreds of thousands of people with hearing, speech, or other communication disabilities, a conversation often requires a physical device that can cost thousands of dollars. The standard of care, known as Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), has long been anchored by dedicated hardware and expensive software, creating a barrier to access that is both financial and logistical. In 2019, a teenager in Buenos Aires named Mateo Salvatto began building a different answer on the smartphone already in his pocket, motivated by his mother's work as a sign language interpreter and the daily frustrations he witnessed in the deaf community [TED, retrieved 2026]. The result is Háblalo, a free mobile app that now assists an estimated 375,000 people across 65 countries, functioning entirely offline and in 40 languages [One Young World, retrieved 2026] [hablalo.app, retrieved 2026]. Its growth points to a quiet, global shift in assistive technology, where the most powerful tool for inclusion might be the one that costs nothing at all.
The smartphone as a universal AAC device
Háblalo’s core proposition is deceptively simple: turn any Android or iOS device into a real-time communication intermediary. For a non-speaking user, the app provides text-to-speech generation. For a deaf user, it can convert spoken words into text. It also offers libraries of pre-configured phrases for quick interactions in shops, transportation, or healthcare settings [Perplexity Sonar Pro Brief, retrieved 2024]. The technical wedge is its offline functionality, a critical feature for reliability in areas with poor connectivity or for users who cannot afford constant data plans. This positions the app not as a novel AI experiment, but as a pragmatic, always-available utility. By remaining completely free for end-users, Háblalo sidesteps the traditional gatekeeping of the AAC market, which is often mediated by insurance reimbursements and clinical prescriptions. Its reported user base, spanning 65 countries, suggests it is filling a gap that proprietary systems have left wide open [hablalo.app, retrieved 2026].
A founder's story and a social enterprise model
The company’s trajectory is inextricably linked to its founder, Mateo Nicolás Salvatto. He began coding Háblalo at age 18, a year after leading Argentina’s team to its first International Robotics Championship [One Young World, retrieved 2026]. He founded Asteroid Technologies with two other partners, and the trio initially self-funded the venture [asisonline.org, retrieved 2026]. Salvatto’s public advocacy, through a podcast and keynote speeches, frames technology squarely as a tool for social inclusion [LinkedIn, retrieved 2026]. This mission-driven origin is now underpinned by a clear B2B2C business model. While the app is free for individuals, Asteroid Technologies generates revenue by selling accessibility packages to organizations. These services include installing tablets with the app in public spaces, training staff, and providing branded communication support, effectively monetizing corporate ESG and accessibility compliance needs [hablalo.app, retrieved 2026].
The enterprise wedge with Iberia and beyond
The most visible validation of this model is the partnership with Iberia airlines. The carrier has rolled out “Háblalo Iberia,” a co-branded version of the app, to facilitate communication between its staff and passengers with disabilities [Perplexity Sonar Pro Brief, retrieved 2024]. This deal is a blueprint: a large, customer-facing corporation adopts Háblalo as a turnkey inclusion solution, enhancing its service while the startup gains scale, credibility, and revenue. The company is actively hiring, with open roles listed on Wellfound and ZipRecruiter, indicating plans to grow this enterprise arm [Wellfound, retrieved 2026]. External validation came in the form of a seed investment from Globant, the Argentine-born global IT services giant, though the amount remains undisclosed. This backing provides more than capital; it offers a potential channel into Globant’s vast network of corporate clients.
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Primary Product | Háblalo - Free AAC mobile app (iOS/Android) |
| Core Features | Text-to-speech, speech-to-text, phrase libraries, offline use |
| Reported Reach | 375,000+ users in 65 countries [One Young World, retrieved 2026] |
| Business Model | B2B2C (Free app, paid enterprise services) |
| Key Partnership | Iberia Airlines ("Háblalo Iberia") |
| Investor | Globant (Seed round, amount undisclosed) |
Navigating a crowded and clinical field
The assistive communication space is not unoccupied. Háblalo competes in a segment long served by established, clinically-oriented software like Proloquo2Go and Proloquo4Text. These competitors are often part of broader therapeutic ecosystems, deeply integrated with speech-language pathology practices and sometimes requiring significant investment. The risks for Háblalo are inherent to its model. Its success with a large, non-paying user base must be balanced by a scalable enterprise sales motion. Furthermore, as a general-purpose tool, it does not replace the personalized, therapeutic depth that clinical software offers for complex communication needs. Its answer appears to be focus: rather than trying to be everything for everyone, it aims to be the universal, first-response tool for basic communication across the widest possible population. Its partnership with Iberia is an early signal that this focus can translate into durable enterprise contracts.
What the next 500,000 users need
The population Háblalo serves,individuals with hearing loss, speech disabilities, or conditions like cerebral palsy that affect communication,often faces a fragmented landscape of support. The current standard of care can involve a daunting process: clinical assessments, insurance approvals, and the procurement of specialized devices that may not be portable or intuitive. This creates a chasm between those with access to comprehensive care and those who must rely on ad-hoc, often inadequate methods. Háblalo’s growth to hundreds of thousands of users in just a few years underscores the sheer scale of unmet need for basic, dignified communication tools.
For Mateo Salvatto and Asteroid Technologies, the next twelve months will likely be about proving that the Iberia model can be replicated. The goal is not just to reach another milestone in user count, but to demonstrate that serving this population can build a sustainable, mission-aligned business. The roadmap points toward more corporate partnerships, deeper integrations into public services, and the continued refinement of a free app that has already changed how hundreds of thousands of people connect with the world.
Sources
- [One Young World, retrieved 2026] Mateo Salvatto profile | https://www.oneyoungworld.com/speaker/mateo-salvatto
- [hablalo.app, retrieved 2026] Háblalo for Business | https://www.hablalo.app/hablalo-for-business
- [TED, retrieved 2026] Mateo Salvatto TED talk | https://www.ted.com/speakers/mateo_salvatto
- [asisonline.org, retrieved 2026] Article on Mateo Salvatto | https://asisonline.org
- [LinkedIn, retrieved 2026] Mateo Nicolás Salvatto's LinkedIn activity | https://www.linkedin.com/in/mateons/
- [Wellfound, retrieved 2026] Asteroid Technologies jobs page | https://wellfound.com/company/asteroid-technologies