BNR Wereldspelers host Jelle Maasbach and co-host, TRANSFER.LC CEO Gerald Baal, had the honour of interviewing Joris Castermans, CEO of Whispp on the 9th of February 2024. This interview uncovered what it means for a young Dutch startup to be discovered by Satya Nadella, Microsoft’s CEO.

Just recently, tech-giant showed serious interest in the small Dutch AI startup called Whispp, when the CEO’s met at the CES in Las Vegas. With the app, Dutch entrepreneur Joris Castermans hopes to facilitate telephone communication for vocally impaired people. Designed to make communication easier, Whispp is based on an AI which transforms a whisper into a normal voice in real time. This can significantly improve the quality of life of those who struggle with severe stuttering or other conditions such as throat cancer or muscle atrophies.

In the interview, the most important regions for AI were discussed and insights on the future of AI, both in our society and in international business, were shared.

Here are some of the most valuable takeaways:

• Trade Missions are incredible accelerators, especially for startups. After all, where else can you do the business of a year in a week?
• It was at a trade mission, where Joris Castermans and Satya Nadella met. So evidently, sharing your ideas can create great opportunities.
• One of the most crucial considerations to make is finding your market. Which cultures fit your product? Or, even better, which products fit which cultures? That’s how long-term value can be created.

Interested to hear more about AI and Joris Castermans’ story? Listen to the full interview above!

For more information about AI and its developments worldwide, click here.