Expressable Raises $4.5M from Lerer Hippeau and NextView to Transform Speech Therapy Care

AUSTIN, Texas, May 6, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Expressable, a leading speech therapy solution that combines 1-on-1 teletherapy with its proprietary education platform, is pleased to announce the close of its seed round totaling $4,500,000. The funding was co-led by Lerer Hippeau and NextView ventures, with participation from Amplifyher ventures.

Speech therapy innovation is long overdue. Approximately five million children in the United States have a speech or language disorder, and nearly half go untreated. Additionally, research has demonstrated that the most effective way to improve pediatric outcomes is by providing parents with the tools to become active participants in their child's care. 

In response, Expressable has pioneered a technology-enabled care model that removes the financial and geographic barriers that have traditionally limited access, and empowers parents with education and support to integrate speech therapy techniques into their child's daily life.

"I've seen firsthand the life-changing effects speech therapy has on a child's academic, emotional, and social wellbeing," said Leanne Sherred, M.S., CCC-SLP, co-founder and President of Expressable. "We couldn't have found better partners that share our vision for reimagining the standard of care so that more children can experience the gift of communication."

Founded in late 2019, Expressable has served thousands of families. The company's unique care model matches families with an experienced teletherapist specialized in their area of need, enables secure client-therapist texting, and provides 500+ home-based learning modules that help parents reinforce skill-building exercises throughout the week.

"Expressable has developed a fundamentally better way to provide millions of families across the U.S. with affordable access to high-quality speech therapy," said Graham Brown, Partner at Lerer Hippeau. "Through its online platform and product-first approach, Expressable improves the experience for not only patients, but also providers and payors. We believe the company is positioned to be the market leader and help serve anyone with a communication disorder."

Expressable will use the newly raised funds to expand its clinical provider network, partner with commercial and Medicaid plans to reach more families, and accelerate investment of its parent-focused education platform.

"The need for speech therapy and communication support among children is far greater than most people expect — a reality many parents learn when their own children are struggling. Access to quality care can vary greatly so putting parents at the center of the journey is essential," said Lee Hower, Partner at NextView Ventures. "As investors, we are thrilled to empower the Expressable team on their mission to make seamless, affordable, and high-quality care available to children and parents nationwide."

For more information on Expressable or to schedule an interview, please email Samantha Radach at [email protected].

About Expressable
Expressable is an online speech therapy practice committed to expanding access to quality services for everyone with a communication disorder. Expressable has pioneered a parent-focused care model that uses technology and education to integrate speech therapy techniques into children's daily lives, improving outcomes and experiences. For more information please visit www.expressable.io.

About Lerer Hippeau
Lerer Hippeau is the most active early-stage venture capital fund in New York. The firm has more than 250 active portfolio companies with investments in leading consumer, media, and enterprise companies. Lerer Hippeau invests across all sectors, backing founders with product vision, customer insight, and a keen instinct for brand building. For more information please visit www.lererhippeau.com.

About NextView
NextView is a thematic, seed-stage VC firm focused on the Everyday Economy and we invest nationally across consumer and B2B companies. We are proud seed investors in over 100 portfolio companies over the last decade, including TripleLift, Grove Collaborative, Attentive, Devoted Health, Skillz, Parsec, ThredUP, and WHOOP. For more information please visit www.nextviewventures.com.

Media Contact

Samantha Radach
Opportunity PR (for Expressable)
[email protected]
949.290.2834

SOURCE Expressable