Rylo’s Matt Sherman Talks New funding, a new name, Deaf inclusion, More in Interview

Last month, Deaf communications company Rylo put out a press release in which it announced the launch of its “next chapter” by way of having raised $85 million in new funding. The New York-based startup also noted in June it was “evolving beyond phone call captioning to build a broader AI-powered communication platform.”

Rylo was born in 2021 as Nagish. I interviewed founder and CEO Tomer Aharoni in 2024.

Fast-forward to July 2026, and I recently connected with Rylo’s Matt Sherman over email for a brief interview coincident with the news of its funding round. Sherman, who has been profoundly deaf since birth, serves as the company’s head of community. He primarily uses American Sign Language (ASL) to communicate, but is fluent in written English as well. Sherman’s been with Rylo since the earliest days of Nagish, characterizing his role as “[working] at the intersection of community building, AI tech, and brand marketing,” which includes everything from advocacy work to partnerships to other key initiatives. The overarching goal of his efforts, he added, is “ensuring our community is actively shaping the product and brand, not just receiving it.”

When asked why change their name, Sherman explained the move from Nagish to Rylo represents “where we’re heading” while acknowledging the old name “built a strong foundation of trust within the community, working alongside key stakeholders and users.” Yet as Rylo grew and its field of view expanded, Sherman said the company felt they needed something else—a new name which could “grow with us” in a way that wouldn’t detract from the core mission. “We’re still the same team with the same mission and excellent relationships with the communities we serve,” Sherman said.

Indeed, he said the goal is “[removing] the friction from everyday communication.”

As for the newfound tens of millions of dollars stuffing Rylo’s till, Sherman said the new money it has raised will go a long way towards “accelerating” the company’s vision. The Deaf and hard-of-hearing community historically has been “neglected” when it comes to research and development into technological innovation, Sherman told me, adding the new funding is a signal the industry’s mindset is “shifting.” More pointedly, the $85 million gives Rylo the latitude to “invest more deeply in AI and technology, expand what the app can do, reach more people, and build stronger partnerships.”

“For years, the industry ignored this [Deaf inclusion] space. Now we’re getting the attention it deserves,” Sherman said.

That Sherman mentioned AI tech is neither happenstance nor is it a sign Rylo is boarding the hype train. Quite the contrary. Artificial intelligence, he told me, “presents a significant opportunity” to boost not only availability but, crucially, reliability as well. As AI grows ever more capable, it will net benefits in terms of “better accuracy, faster processing, and more natural output that enables direct, independent communications.” What this means for the community is AI has the ability to remove friction, Sherman said; it can can make everyday interactions more accessible by “[making] real-time conversations feel seamless in a way that wasn’t possible before.”

Going back to Rylo’s roots in captioning calls, this is an area where AI can truly shine.

“Live captioning equals independence,” Sherman said. “Before tools like Rylo, even a simple phone call could feel like a complicated task for many Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals, often requiring coordination, a third party, or an interpreter, with no guarantee it would go well. Live captions put us back in control of our own conversations with tailored communication preferences. I still remember the first time I saw closed captions on TV. It changed my life and is something I’ve never taken for granted.”

As to feedback, Sherman said community feedback is the “foundation” of Rylo’s success in many ways. Companies can’t “outsmart” their users, he added, emphasizing the importance of being present with them and building with them. That approach, according to Sherman, has led to “both a lot of positive and constructive feedback, and our users feel like they’re actively building the roadmap with us.”

“We’ve met so many users who share stories of having life-changing moments, whether it’s connecting directly with someone for the first time in a long time, or finally having in-person experiences that align with how others communicate,” he said.

As to the future, Sherman shared he’s “most hopeful” the industry is “at the beginning of a real shift toward a more equitable world. Rylo is the main contributor of that shift.” He hopes accessibility and equality will be foundational, not a checkbox to fill in solely for compliance’s sake. Rylo exists, he added, “to chip away at the barriers that the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community has been navigating that never should have existed.”