AI for language assessment startup ELSA is looking to hire developers in Portugal for its app that helps people learn English.
With offices in San Francisco, Vietnam, and at Portugal’s Beta-i, ELSA (English Language Speech Assistant) is now scouting developers for work in Portugal.
Xavier Anguera
After an initial seed round of funding, ELSA CTO Xavier Anguera created the Portugal office, where there are now 6 full-time people.
Founded in 2015, ELSA works on AI for language assessment, helping people to improve their pronunciation skills in English.
ELSA is looking for developers in Portugal to aid in ELSA’a vision of enabling everyone in the world to speak foreign languages with full confidence, reaching the best life and career opportunities.
Its flagship product, ELSA Speak, is a personal tutor who improves users’ English pronunciation and reduces accent using advanced speech recognition and analysis.
Available on Android and iOS, the app already has some 2.5 million downloads, and was even featured on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, where actress Salma Hayek comically thought that her French husband was having an affair, but it turned out to be a message from the ELSA app (see below clip).
Vu Van
In March, ELSA raised €2.7 million. CEO Vu Van explained the genesis behind the project to TechCrunch at the time, saying, “I realized that people didn’t really have a lot of solutions…when it comes to speaking, they could either go to a speech therapist that costs them $150 an hour, who could listen to them and fix their pronunciation, or they could go to YouTube or watch Netflix, which is a one-way learning solution.”
ELSA teaches you how to pronounce common idioms, American expressions, daily conversation in English, and even cheesy pick up lines.
Its initial Free Assessment Test allows you to discover your English speaking proficiency level. Elsa identifies your top pronunciation challenges, like ‘schwa’ and ‘dipthong.’
ELSA’s Features
– Get a curriculum tailored to your speaking level, so you can focus on the right words.
– Learn to speak over 2000 of the most popular English words with perfect pronunciation
– Find out exactly which sounds you spoke are incorrect
– Receive feedback on how to move your tongue and lips to correct your words
– Practice common phrases used in everyday life, like at work, during interviews, and while traveling
– Practice in a relaxed environment without fear of embarrassment in front of other people
– Track your progress and come back to practice any words you’re still stuck on
– Get results, fast! 27 hours with ELSA is equivalent to a semester of university course in America to gain excellent pronunciation and reduce accent.
Powered by its proprietary and state-of-the-art voice recognition technology, ELSA is the first and the world’s smartest Artificial Intelligence pronunciation coach who will help you have perfect English pronunciation.
International recognition from
– #1 Education App on ProductHunt
– One of “7 can’t-miss apps” – Mashable
– Winner of the world’s largest startup competition SXSWEdu Launch 2016
– Winner of “The Best Digital Learning App” by Reimagine Education 2016
Improve your speaking skills to prepare for the TOEFL, IELTS, TOEIC. Speak confidently with your friends, boss, colleagues, tourists.