Helperbird – Making the digital world more accessible for all.

Having had issues with dyslexia throughout his life Robert James Gaberial created Helperbird in 2015 to with a mission of making the digital world more accessible for everyone who uses it. It’s now an extension that has more than one million users globally and has social responsibility built in to make it affordable to all. I interview Robert to find out more

What is Helperbird’s origin story?

Helperbird actually started as a personal project back in 2015. You see, I was this kid in Ireland who really struggled in school due to an undiagnosed learning difference. At one point, my English teacher suggested I drop out when I was just 15. Yeah, it was a low moment for both me and my family. But, thanks to my parents getting me tested, I was diagnosed with dyslexia. With the right kind of support, not only did I stick around in school, but I even managed to win my school an 8,000-euro award. Fast forward a bit, and I found myself interning at a software company called Teamwork. That’s where I built the first version of Helperbird. Initially, it was just something to help me personally with studying and browsing the web. But as I started sharing it, I realised it had the potential to help a whole lot of people who were in the same boat as me. Since those early days, Helperbird has transformed into something much bigger. It’s now a platform that’s helped countless people, whether they have learning difficulties or not. Our mission is simple but ambitious: we want to make reading and web accessibility a piece of cake for everyone. That means whether you’re dealing with dyslexia, concussion symptoms, ADD, or low vision, we’ve got your back. To make sure everyone can benefit from Helperbird, we offer both a free version and a low-cost version. And let me tell you, seeing people from all walks of life use Helperbird to elevate their productivity? That’s the cherry on top for me.

Did the company work with any incubators or hackathons at the start?

Oh, the early days of Helperbird! No, we didn’t go through any formal incubators or hackathons at the start. But don’t let that fool you; our path was as unconventional as it was thrilling. You see, I was deeply inspired by Peter Coppinger and Daniel Mackey, the co-founders of Teamwork.com. While interning there, I caught the bug—the entrepreneurial bug, that is. Their ethos of bootstrapping resonated with me, and I decided to take Helperbird down a similar road. And let me tell you, it’s been a rollercoaster, but in the best possible way! We’ve successfully bootstrapped all these years, and we’re setting our sights on the top spot. We’re like the little engine that could, but in the world of web accessibility. I’ve also got to give a shout-out to the incredible work that’s being done by Dogpatch Labs. Although we haven’t officially worked with them, I love their approach to fostering innovation and community. Their ethos is very much aligned with what we’re striving for here at Helperbird: making tech accessible and impactful.

How did the company go about getting funding for the company to grow into what it is now? How do you go about expanding this into the future?

Funding? We’ve been bootstrapping from the start and prefer it that way. We’d only consider external investment if it could dramatically extend Helperbird’s impact. For the future, we aim to remain bootstrapped and self-funded, while staying alert to extraordinary opportunities that align with our mission.

How has the company expanded from its basic offering at the start to the offering it provides now?

Our journey from the initial offering to what Helperbird is today has been incredibly customer-driven. We pride ourselves on listening—reading every tweet, every email, and responding to every message. It’s this open channel of communication that has guided our feature development over the years. But we don’t just stop at listening. We experiment, tinker, and implement the features that our users crave. Whether it’s a new reading tool or an interface tweak, if it’s something our community wants, we make it happen. And it’s not just about pushing our own solutions. At Helperbird, we believe in choices and aim to offer a range of tools that cater to our users’ unique needs. But if we find that Helperbird might not be the right fit for someone, we don’t hesitate to recommend other fantastic tools like Beeline Reader or TextHelp. At the end of the day, whether you’re an iPhone or Android person, a Ford or Volkswagen driver, our goal is to either meet your needs or point you to someone who can.

Helperbird emphasises its Core Values a lot on its website. Can you give me examples of how these Core Values have helped the company grow?

Immersive Reader: This feature helps users focus better on the text and has been a hit
with our dyslexic audience.

Reduce Motion: For those sensitive to screen motion, this feature provides a more
comfortable experience.

Lexend and Open Dyslexic Fonts: These fonts make reading easier and are often
praised by users with dyslexia.

Text to Speech: This offers an alternative way of consuming content and has been
valuable for many dyslexic users.

Reword/Simplify: This feature breaks down complex text into simpler phrases, making
it easier to understand.

Reading Mode: This provides a distraction-free reading environment, focusing only on
the essential text.

While these features are particularly appreciated by those with dyslexia, it’s worth
mentioning that we have over 30+ features that make Helperbird a versatile tool for all
types of learners, not just those with learning differences.

What effect did the pandemic have on the company? Has this gotten easier or harder since the restrictions were eased?

The pandemic actually helped us grow. It made more people, especially schools and businesses, realise they needed accessibility tools like Helperbird. We quickly adapted to meet this new demand by improving our services. Even as restrictions have eased, the interest in web accessibility hasn’t gone away, and we’re continuing to grow because of it.

You openly discuss your dyslexia on the website. What are some of the features on your app that you have gotten the most amount of feedback on from Dyslexic people?

Absolutely, my dyslexia isn’t just a part of who I am; it’s a crucial element of Helperbird’s origin. We’ve gotten a lot of great feedback, particularly from dyslexic users, on a variety of our features: Immersive Reader: This feature helps users focus better on the text and has been a hit with our dyslexic audience. Reduce Motion: For those sensitive to screen motion, this feature provides a more comfortable experience. Lexend and Open Dyslexic Fonts: These fonts make reading easier and are often praised by users with dyslexia. Text to Speech: This offers an alternative way of consuming content and has been valuable for many dyslexic users. Reword/Simplify: This feature breaks down complex text into simpler phrases, making it easier to understand. Reading Mode: This provides a distraction-free reading environment, focusing only on the essential text. Summarise: This tool condenses long articles or text into key points, making it easier to grasp the main ideas. While these features are particularly appreciated by those with dyslexia, it’s worth mentioning that we have over 30+ features that make Helperbird a versatile tool for all types of learners, not just those with learning differences.

Has the company won any awards in recent years? What were some of the highlights?

Yes, we’ve been fortunate to win some awards, including making the Forbes 30 Under 30 list, which is a wonderful acknowledgment of our work. However, and I don’t mean to sound cheesy, the most valuable “awards”’ for us are the daily messages we receive from our users along with them becoming lifelong fans. Hearing how Helperbird has helped people through school, enabled them to perform better at their jobs, or simply unlocked their full potential is incredibly rewarding. These personal testimonials are the highlights that really matter to us and motivate us to keep pushing forward

Are there any other organisations in Diversity and Inclusion in Ireland that you’re a big fan of?

Absolutely, Ireland boasts a vibrant field of individuals and organisations committed to Diversity and Inclusion. While it can be tough to get a response from some organisations, there are several that we’re huge fans of and would be honoured for people to check out and support. Firstly, there’s Georgie Cooney, who’s doing transformative work for students with dyslexia via her platform, DyslexiaSpell. We’re also incredibly impressed with Sascha Roos and her book “At Home with Dyslexia: A Parent’s Guide to Supporting Your Child,” a must-read for families navigating dyslexia. Don’t forget James Leonard & Timmy Long from the Two Norries Podcast, either. They’re tackling crucial issues like mental health and alternative schooling options, reaching a broad audience. Last but certainly not least, Barry Walsh from Focusondiversity.ie is doing essential work in amplifying diverse voices in Ireland. These remarkable people and their efforts serve as daily inspiration for us at Helperbird, and we can’t recommend them enough for those interested in the fields of Diversity and Inclusion