Cohort Spotlight:

Introducing the Spring 2024 Cohort 

Our Spring 2024 Cohort is underway, and we have eight incredible Founders of organizations making innovations in the accessible technology space. Over the course of the 10 week program, the participants will be immersed in 2GI’s accelerator designed to improve their pitch and business model, and to instill the mindset that disabilities can be a competitive business advantage.

This week we are featuring Jon Mowl from Play with ASL and Heather Neff from Equivalent. Read on to learn more about their cohort experience. 

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‍Tell us more about the concept of your start-up and why you’re passionate about entrepreneurship. 

Jon: Play With ASL is an innovative startup focused on revolutionizing American Sign Language (ASL) education through gamification. By merging gaming dynamics with learning, we aim to make ASL accessible and engaging for everyone. As a Deaf entrepreneur from a family of Deaf educators and with two Deaf children, I am deeply passionate about creating solutions that enhance communication and education both universally and within the Deaf community. Play With ASL is not just a business; it's a mission to bridge communication gaps and empower individuals through improved access to sign language education. Alarmingly, 85% of Deaf children do not have access to language at home. Additionally, higher education instructors are forced to rely on limited, outdated curriculum, which are now being used even at the high school level, leaving them scrambling to adapt curriculum that their students have already encountered. Platforms like Duolingo don't offer ASL, which means the Deaf community continues to lag far behind in language accessibility. Today in the AI age, we are further behind than ever before. This reality fuels my fire every day, driving me to do more, do better, and be all I can be.

Heather: Our startup, Equivalent, is dedicated to revolutionizing the accessibility and usability of Scalable Vector Graphics (SVGs). Our mission is to empower designers and developers to create graphics that are visually appealing while also being inclusive and accessible to all users, including those with disabilities.

As a disabled entrepreneur, I am deeply passionate about making a positive impact in the world and addressing real-world challenges through innovation. We firmly believe in the transformative power of entrepreneurship to drive positive change, foster creativity, and unlock new opportunities for growth and development.

What are you hoping to learn from the Cohort experience? 

Jon: Through the Cohort experience, I am eager to deepen my understanding of advanced business strategies, particularly in fundraising and sustainable business growth. I aim to cultivate a robust network with fellow entrepreneurs and industry experts who share a passion for innovation and social impact. Additionally, learning how to effectively navigate the challenges of a startup, especially in the tech and educational sectors, is crucial for me. This experience is not just about growing Play With ASL but also about enhancing my capabilities as a leader to better serve the Deaf community and our allies.

Heather: Participating in the Cohort experience, we aim to leverage valuable insights, mentorship, and networking opportunities to refine our business model, scale our operations, and accelerate our growth trajectory. We are eager to learn from experienced mentors and fellow entrepreneurs, exchange ideas, and collaborate on innovative solutions.

What has been the most impactful aspect of 2GI’s Cohort so far? 

Jon: Engaging with fellow entrepreneurs who are at similar stages in their startup journeys has provided a unique and invaluable perspective that is rarely found elsewhere. This peer-driven environment encourages not only critical feedback but also shared learning and mutual support. This approach has significantly propelled the development of my own understanding and accelerated the refinement of Play With ASL. The collective growth and progress within the cohort have been both rewarding and instrumental in navigating the complexities of launching a tech-driven educational tool.

Heather: The opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals, share experiences, and learn from each other's successes and challenges has been invaluable in our entrepreneurial journey. Additionally, the masterclasses led by experienced entrepreneurs offer valuable insights and live assistance with class assignments, contributing significantly to our progress. The detailed focus on actionable tasks has been instrumental in driving advancement for our startup.

Where do you see your company in a year from now? How about five years from now?

Jon: In the next year, I see Play With ASL solidifying its position in the educational technology market, particularly within ASL education. We aim to have fully integrated our Learning Tools Interoperability (LTI) into multiple learning management systems across schools and universities, enhancing the accessibility and effectiveness of ASL learning. Our focus will be on expanding our user base, refining our app based on user feedback, and securing additional partnerships within the educational sector.

Five years from now, Play With ASL envisions being a leading authority in gamified language learning, particularly for ASL. We plan to expand our offerings to include more comprehensive language learning tools that serve various educational levels and settings, including international markets. Additionally, we aim to pioneer in utilizing Sign Language Recognition (SLR) technology to gamify the process, creating an innovative game that can be used both in classrooms and homes. This initiative will position us as the first app to gamify the expressive skill by utilizing SLR, transforming how sign language is taught and learned worldwide and making it as ubiquitous as learning any spoken language in schools around the world.

Heather: Looking ahead to the future, in a year from now, we envision Equivalent as a recognized leader in accessible and sustainable graphics technology, with a growing customer base and a prominent presence in the design software market. Our plans include launching plugins for both Figma and Adobe, facilitating widespread adoption of our smart graphics worldwide. We will continue to forge strategic partnerships and drive innovation in the accessibility space.

In five years, we see Equivalent as a global leader in accessible design solutions, offering a diverse portfolio of products serving clients across industries and geographies. We anticipate our technology making a significant impact on digital accessibility, empowering millions of users worldwide to access and engage with digital graphics more effectively. 

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