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source_url: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Signvrse?utm_source=openai"
title: Signvrse - Wikipedia
mirrored_at: 2026-08-14T01:01:01.464Z
host: en.wikipedia.org
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> **Original source:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Signvrse?utm_source=openai

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Signvrse

Type

Private

Industry

Artificial intelligence, Accessibility technology

Founded

2023

Founder

[Elly Savatia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elly_Savatia "Elly Savatia")

Headquarters

[Nairobi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nairobi "Nairobi"), [Kenya](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenya "Kenya")

Area served

[Africa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Africa "Africa")

Key people

Elly Savatia (Founder and CEO)

Products

[Terp 360](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terp_360?action=edit&redlink=1 "Terp 360 (page does not exist)")

Website

[signvrse.com](https://signvrse.com/)

**Signvrse** is a [Kenyan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenya "Kenya") technology startup that develops artificial intelligence (AI) tools for [sign language](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sign_language "Sign language") translation and [digital accessibility](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_accessibility "Digital accessibility").[\[1\]](#cite_note-:0-1) The company is best known for creating Terp 360, a real-time sign language translation platform that uses AI-powered [3D](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3D_computer_graphics "3D computer graphics") avatars to interpret speech and text into sign language.[\[2\]](#cite_note-2)[\[3\]](#cite_note-3) Founded in 2023 by Kenyan entrepreneur [Elly Savatia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elly_Savatia "Elly Savatia"), Signvrse claims to make communication inclusive for [deaf](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deaf_culture "Deaf culture") and [hard-of-hearing](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hearing_loss "Hearing loss") communities across Africa.[\[1\]](#cite_note-:0-1)

Signvrse is based in Nairobi, Kenya. The company claims to bridge communication gaps between hearing and non-hearing individuals through technology.[\[4\]](#cite_note-:1-4) The company’s flagship product, Terp 360, functions as an [assistive technology](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assistive_technology "Assistive technology") platform that converts spoken and written language into visual sign language using animated avatars powered by AI.[\[1\]](#cite_note-:0-1)

The platform supports both [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_language "English language") and [Swahili](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swahili_language "Swahili language") input and outputs translation in [Kenyan Sign Language](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenyan_Sign_Language "Kenyan Sign Language") (KSL). Signvrse has announced plans to expand Terp 360’s capabilities to include other sign languages such as [Rwandan Sign Language](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rwandan_Sign_Language "Rwandan Sign Language"), [Ugandan Sign Language](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ugandan_Sign_Language "Ugandan Sign Language"), [South African Sign Language](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_African_Sign_Language "South African Sign Language"), [British Sign Language](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Sign_Language "British Sign Language") and [American Sign Language](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Sign_Language "American Sign Language") by 2027.

Signvrse employs [motion capture](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motion_capture "Motion capture") and AI-driven modelling to record and reproduce human sign language gestures. The company has built one of Kenya’s largest sign language datasets, comprising thousands of recorded signs collected in collaboration with deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals.[\[4\]](#cite_note-:1-4)[\[5\]](#cite_note-5)

The Terp 360 system combines motion sensors that track a signer’s hand and arm movements in three-dimensional space, machine learning models trained on large datasets of sign language recordings, and digital avatars that render the gestures in real time for users.[\[6\]](#cite_note-6) With focus on Kenyan Sign Language, Signvrse claims to differentiates itself from international accessibility tools that primarily support American or British Sign Languages, addressing a gap in representation for African users.[\[4\]](#cite_note-:1-4)

Signvrse and its founder gained international attention for innovation in assistive technology. In 2025, Elly Savatia won the [Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Africa_Prize_for_Engineering_Innovation?action=edit&redlink=1 "Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation (page does not exist)") from the [Royal Academy of Engineering](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Academy_of_Engineering "Royal Academy of Engineering") for developing Terp 360. The project was commended for its social impact and for making African sign languages visible in global AI systems.[\[1\]](#cite_note-:0-1)

1.  [1](#cite_ref-:0_1-0) [2](#cite_ref-:0_1-1) [3](#cite_ref-:0_1-2) [4](#cite_ref-:0_1-3) Sykes, Jasmin (2025-10-22). ["App that translates speech to sign language in real-time wins top innovation prize"](https://www.cnn.com/world/africa/speech-to-sign-language-app-wins-africa-innovation-prize-spc). _CNN_. Retrieved 2025-10-22.
2.  [↑](#cite_ref-2) ["Post from BBC News Africa"](https://www.youtube.com/post/UgkxY1jfZ_Z5xC22yu5lczGS2dwtTKmXkuZy). _YouTube_. Retrieved 2025-10-22.
3.  [↑](#cite_ref-3) Adoyi, John (2025-08-18). ["5 startups making assistive tech more accessible with AI"](https://techcabal.com/2025/08/18/ai-assistive-tech/). _TechCabal_. Retrieved 2025-10-22.
4.  [1](#cite_ref-:1_4-0) [2](#cite_ref-:1_4-1) [3](#cite_ref-:1_4-2) ["Signvrse: Kenyan Innovators Among Top Finalists in Microsoft Imagine Cup 2025"](https://trendsnafrica.com/signvrse-kenyan-innovators-among-top-finalists-in-microsoft-imagine-cup-2025/). _Trendsnafrica | 24/7 Africa News_. 2025-05-22. Retrieved 2025-10-22.
5.  [↑](#cite_ref-5) ["Kenyan app uses AI to produce sign-language translations – DW – 06/22/2025"](https://www.dw.com/en/kenyan-app-uses-ai-to-produce-sign-language-translations/video-72977984). _dw.com_. Retrieved 2025-10-22.
6.  [↑](#cite_ref-6) ["Africanews | Kenyan startup signvrse pioneers AI-powered sign language translation"](http://www.africanews.com/amp/2025/08/11/kenyan-startup-signvrse-pioneers-ai-powered-sign-language-translation/). _Africanews_. 2025-08-11. Retrieved 2025-10-22.