By Sofia Moreno Haq
When friends share a passion, the prospects can seem limitless. When one of them becomes ill, it can change the dynamic — yet it may also open new avenues of opportunity.
That is the exact scenario that prompted UCLA Anderson alumnus Dan Russ (’10) to create Click2Speak, one of the most successful “social good” startups coming out of Tel Aviv, Israel. It revolutionizes the way disabled individuals control PCs and tablets to communicate via an on-screen keyboard. The idea came from the unfortunate medical diagnosis of his best friend, Gal Sont.
Russ began his career working with startup companies shortly after earning a bachelor’s degree in business administration and IT management from the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzeliya, Israel. Sont, who earned a B.A.Sc. in mathematics and computer science, became an experienced software engineer, serving as CTO for various startups.
With an eye on working in product and/or account management with software companies, Russ felt an MBA degree was needed to advance his career.
“Many friends took that path and the Anderson name always came up in conversations and at info sessions,” Russ says. “I knew that Anderson was a ‘work hard, play hard’ type of environment, with a great network and inspiring professors. Meeting with students and alumni prior to making my decision only strengthened the choice that Anderson would be the place for me.”
While his academic pursuit didn’t change, his career course focus did when Russ learned that Sont was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
“Gal learned first hand about the obstacles that a paralyzed person goes through. Knowing the fearless optimist guy that he is, I knew that I should join him in his quest of trying to improve the quality of life of people who are in similar situations,” says Russ. “We make sure that we keep focused, and try to solve a true ‘pain’ in the market.”
Since 2013, they have been working together on Click2Speak, developing software that would make PC assistive technology easier, affordable and approachable in almost every language, while also learning about other diseases and conditions, such as multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, and spinal cord injuries that could benefit from the efforts. Click2Speak works with Microsoft Windows 7 and 8, both on PC and tablet, with Windows XP, Android and Macintosh versions being rolled out later. The product uses SwiftKey Flow (allowing users to type by gliding a finger across the on-screen keyboard) and its award-winning prediction engine. Click2Speak floats over other applications and supports more than 60 languages.
“We quickly focused on assistive technology, and how it could improve the quality of life for many of those who suffer from these conditions,” Russ says. “Besides reading articles and attending forums, we met with assistive technology experts and visited special needs schools and rehabilitation centers to gain better knowledge of these conditions and patient needs. We also partnered with companies, such as SwiftKey and Accenture, whose expertise helped us upgrade our offering, and help more people.
“It did not take long for it to become apparent that every person who cannot freely use a regular keyboard could use our solution. We started reaching out to different organizations and nonprofits, assistive technology groups, etc., to share our concept and gain their interest.”
Much of what makes Click2Speak successful stems from the skills Russ developed while studying at Anderson. He credits involvement with the Entrepreneur Association at Anderson and insights from faculty members Jeff Scheinrock and George Geis on how to develop a successful business plan that would accommodate this entrepreneurial venture.
“Our startup is unique, offering a product to a relatively small but very important market that needs help,” says Russ. “When we share the fact that Gal codes most of our software using only his eyes (due to his illness), and that we develop features based on his experience battling with his daily challenges, the people we are trying to reach become more open to trying new assistive technology solutions. It also helps our efforts to reach underserved areas worldwide.”
Russ is quick to highlight the advantages of having access to the Anderson network, especially when considering expansion into other foreign markets.
“Besides the basic managerial and venture initiation skills at Anderson, it’s the network,” Russ says. “Here’s just one example: Our on-screen keyboard now caters to Japanese (still in Beta mode), partly thanks to a friend from Japan I contacted who was at Anderson with me. He helped me understand some challenges that I would need to solve when coming up with a product for typing in Japanese. It’s proving to be very insightful and helpful.”
And the outlook for Russ and Click2Speak? “Improve the product, reach more people, learn more from our users about their needs, raise investment that would help us fulfill our Click2Speak dream of making PC assistive technology easier and approachable.”
Watch the BBC interview with Gal Sont:
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