Cheeksup

Cheeksup, a Latvian-based social enterprise, was established in 2015 by founder and CEO Ilze Zaharane, a practicing speech therapist. The venture originated from her direct experience with the challenges of making articulation training engaging for children, observing that traditional exercises were often repetitive and uninspiring. This insight led to the creation of a digital health solution designed to support childhood speech therapy.

The company operates in the digital health and therapeutic software market, targeting speech therapists, parents, and children with speech difficulties. Its core offering is an interactive, game-based system that functions as a virtual trainer for facial and tongue muscles. The platform utilizes 3D camera technology and machine vision to analyze a child's facial movements in real-time, automating and gamifying conventional therapy exercises. This approach aims to make the rehabilitation process more enjoyable for children and more convenient for both parents and specialists.

The product is a virtual rehabilitation application that stimulates language perception, helps in learning repetition skills, and encourages vocalization. It allows therapists to remotely monitor a child's training progress, making it a supportive tool for clinical practice and home-based exercises. The business model appears to be centered on providing this software as a tool for therapists and a helper-app for parents. Since its inception, Cheeksup has participated in the Relevant Health incubator and was a winner in the Latvian national finals of the Start Tel Aviv 2016 competition.

Keywords: speech therapy, digital health, pediatric therapy, virtual rehabilitation, articulation training, facial muscle trainer, gamified therapy, health technology, social enterprise, speech pathology, remote therapy, teletherapy, child development, edtech, therapeutic gaming, machine vision, 3D camera technology, language perception, vocalization training, Riga startup