Fleksy app-maker Syntellia raises $3m to type up a storm on iOS and Android

Developer promises to also focus on 'post-smartphone technologies' including smart-watches, Leap Motion, Google Glass and other wearable tech

US startup Syntellia has raised $3m to continue developing its text-input technology, following critical acclaim for its Fleksy app for iPhone and iPad

Venture capital firms Highland Capital Partners, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and Middleland Capital chipped in to the Series A round alongside other investors

Fleksy launched for iOS devices in July 2012, with an Android version currently being beta tested by early adopters. The typeing app combines a stripped-down virtual keyboard with a predictive-text engine

Its founder and chief operating officer Ioannis Verdelis told The Guardian that the funding will fuel Syntellia's plans to "seriously disrupt the text input space on mobile", including expanding Fleksy's Andoid beta, and redoubling its effors on iOS

Android has traditionally been the first port of call for developers of keyboard-replacement apps, because Google allows such apps to replace its default keyboard, while Apple does not

Apps like SwiftKey and Swype have built large userbases on Android, but Fleksy bucked the trend by launching on iOS as a standalone app, capable of pasting text into other applications, as well as posting to Facebook and Twitter

It is a common misconception that a text input company cannot thrive on iOS. The ability to provide keyboard experiences has been there on iOS for quite some time,: said Verdelis

"We have already agreed partnerships with application developers to bring out technology to the first player to enter and succeed on this platform."

Syntellia's first such partnership with a "leading" iOS app developer will go live in the App Store this autumn, according to Verdelis, who added that Fleksy has been downloaded "hundreds of thousands of times" on iOS, while 30,000 people are invloved in the Android beta

Highland Capital's investment in Syntellia comes from its recently-launched Leap Fund: a $25m fund that is investing in companies making applications for the Leap Motion gesture-control for computers, which went on sale in July

That's a hint at Syntellia's ambitions beyond smartphones, with Verdelis saying that the company is already working on deploying its technology to Leap Motion, Google Glass, smart-watches and other wearable gadgets

There is a need for input technologies to fit the needs of these upcoming devices. It is not a coincidence we have the support of Leap Fund in this mission," he said

At one point in its development, Fleksy was intended to be primarily an app for blind and visually-impaired smartphone owners, before Syntellia decided it could benefit other people too.

"We didn't actually start off looking at accessibility, we started off looking at typing on a smartphone, and whether there was a better way to solve that problem," Verdelis told The Guardian in August 2012

"At a later point, when the prototypes were delivering that, we decided to go after the visually impaired market, where the technology might have the most impact."

When it launched in July 2012, Fleksy was a 10.49 pounds download on iOS, but switched to a freemium model in August that year: free to download, with a 2.99 pounds in-app purchase unlocking all its features. In February 2013, it went fully free

"We feel that making Fleksy part of the daily lives of many more people will help us continue to showcase how smartphones can be made both more accessible and useful for everyone,: explained the company at the time

to showcase how smartphones can be made both more accessible

will help us continue to showcase how smartphone can be made both more accessible and useful for everyone

fell that making Fleksy part of the daily lives of many more people

it went fully free

in-app purchase unlocking all its features

switched to a freemium model in August that year

started off looking at typing on a smartphone

didn't actually start off looking at accessibility

could benefit other people too

was intended to be primarily an app for blind and visually-impaired smartphone owners

at one point its development

to fit the needs of these upcoming devices

is a need for input technologies to fit the need of these upcoming devices

other wearable gadgets

is already working on deploying its technology to Leap Motion

beyond smartphones

is a hint at Syntellia's ambitions beyond smartphones

which went on sale in July

is investing in companies making applications for the Leap Motion gesture-control

comes from its recently-launced Leap Fund

who added that Fleksy has been downloaded

will go live in the App Store this autumn

a leading iOS app developer

to bring out technology to the first player to enter and succeed on this platform

habe already agreed partnerships with application developers

has been there on iOS for quite some time

the ability to provide keyboard experiences

a common misconception that a text input company cannot thrive on iOS

capable of pasting text into other applications

bucked the trend by launching on iOS as a standalone app

have built large userbases on Android

allows such apps to replace its default keyboard

has traditionally been the first port of call for developers of keyboard-replacement

redoubling its efforts on iOS

expanding Flesky's Android beta

the funding will fuel Syntellia's plans to "seriously disrupt the text input space on mobile

chief operating officer

stripped-down

combines a stripped-down virtual keyboard with a predictive-text engine

currently being beta tested by early adopters

chipped in to the Series A round alongside other investors

following critical acclaim for its Fleksy app

has raised $3m to continue developing its text-input technology

to type up a storm on iOS and Android