Most startups begin with a business plan. Nagish didn’t.

For Tomer Aharoni, co-founder and CEO of Nagish, this all started as a side project – built for impact.

“We didn’t start Nagish thinking it would be a company. It was just something cool we wanted to build. And then…it took off.”

Today, Nagish is transforming communication for millions of deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals, making phone calls fully accessible and private, without the need for human-operated relay services.

And now, the company has secured FCC certification as an Internet Protocol Relay (IP Relay) provider, making it the first AI-powered company to achieve this milestone.

“Millions of people can finally use the phone, on their own terms. That’s what drives us every day.”

From Hackathon to Global Impact

Nagish wasn’t planned. It wasn’t even meant to be a real product.

Tomer recalls the moment that sparked it all:

“I was sitting in class at Columbia, got a phone call, and couldn’t answer it. And I started thinking, what if you can’t hear or speak? How would you have a phone conversation?”

That thought led him and his co-founder, Alon, to build a prototype of a simple AI captioning tool connected to a single phone number. The first version wasn’t even an app.

“We built it overnight at a hackathon. And suddenly, people actually wanted to use it.”

Their proof of concept won awards, caught Google’s attention, and led to an invitation to Google Cloud Next, where they presented Nagish to an audience of 50,000.

Then came the moment that changed everything.

“Google filmed a story about Nagish. They introduced us to Talia, a 17-year-old deaf girl, and set up a call with her hearing mother, using Nagish. It was the first time she ever called her mom on the phone. The entire film crew was crying. We were crying. It was one of those moments where you realize…we have to do something with this.”

Taking the Leap: A Lesson in Not Waiting

Despite the overwhelming response, Tomer and Alon didn’t immediately go all in.

For three years, Nagish remained a side project.

  • Tomer was working as an engineer at Bloomberg.
  • Alon was juggling full-time studies and another startup job.
  • They had zero revenue and weren’t sure if this could be a real business.

Looking back, Tomer calls this his biggest mistake.

“Had we started earlier, we would already be the market leader by now. No doubt. If I could give one piece of advice to founders, it’s this: If you have something valuable, don’t wait. Go all in.”

Eventually, the decision became clear.

“Comcast reached out to invest. That was the final push. I quit my job first. A few months later, Alon joined me. We never looked back.”

FCC Certification: A Game-Changer for Accessibility

Today, Nagish is fundamentally changing the way millions communicate.

Its AI-powered mobile app allows users to send and receive phone calls entirely via text, in real time, using speech-to-text and text-to-speech technology without interpreters, stenographers, or human relay operators.

“Historically, if you were deaf or hard of hearing, making a phone call meant relying on a third party. That’s not privacy. That’s not independence. We’re fixing that.”

In 2024, Nagish secured FCC certification for IP CTS (Captioned Telephone Service), leading to a 500% increase in active users.

Now, with its IP Relay certification, Nagish is the first company to be FCC-certified for IP Relay since 2014, and thanks to this certification, they expect to double revenue in 2025.

“This isn’t just a win for us, it’s a win for millions of people who have been waiting for real accessibility.”

Scaling with Purpose

Nagish has come a long way since its hackathon days. Today, it has:

  • $16 million in funding
  • Offices in New York and Tel Aviv
  • Partnerships with Fortune 500 companies
  • A user base that grows daily

And they’re just getting started.

“We believe accessibility isn’t just a feature, it’s a right. We won’t stop until there are zero barriers for communication.”

Lessons for Founders: What Tomer Wants You to Know

For aspiring entrepreneurs, Tomer’s journey offers three major takeaways:

1. Only hire senior people.

  • “You might think hiring junior talent saves money. It doesn’t. Bad hires slow you down. Build the best team you can afford from day one.”

2. Invest in what matters.

  • “Don’t be cheap on tools, top talent, or things that save time. Do you need a fancy office? No. But do you need the best engineering talent? Absolutely.”

3. Listen to external validation.

  • “Nagish stayed alive because people kept telling us they needed it. If customers keep reaching out, pay attention…At the end of the day, if you’re solving a real problem, success will follow. Just start. Don’t wait.”

The Future of Nagish

As Nagish scales, the mission remains the same: to make communication fully accessible, private, and seamless for all.

With AI-powered relay services, real-time captioning, and partnerships with major companies, Nagish is paving the way for a future without communication barriers.

“We started Nagish with no expectations. Today, we’re redefining accessibility. And we’re just getting started.”

For founders looking for inspiration or a blueprint for turning an idea into impact, Nagish’s journey is proof that persistence, listening to users, and taking the leap can change lives.

Check out Nagish and experience the future of communication.