Talking Mats
Talking Mats is a Stirling-based social enterprise that provides a picture-symbol visual communication framework, training, and digital/physical resources for practitioners working with people who have communication difficulties across health, social care, education, and justice sectors.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersStirling, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Talking Mats does
Talking Mats is a Stirling, Scotland-based social enterprise founded in 1998 that provides a visual communication framework for people who have difficulty expressing their views, including those with learning disabilities, dementia, mental health conditions, stroke, or other communication support needs. The framework uses picture symbols arranged on a mat against a visual scale (e.g., going well / okay / not going well) to enable structured conversations and is offered both as physical card sets (Talking Mats Original) and as a web-based digital application (Digital Talking Mats) with subscription tiers (Pro), paid mobile apps (Lite), and a free taster. A portfolio of topic-based resource sets covers Health and Wellbeing, Social Care, Keeping Safe, Thinking Ahead, Exploring Spirituality, Supporting Communication with AAC, Funeral Planning, and Sexual Health and Relationships, with over 100 peer-reviewed publications underpinning the methodology.
The company makes money by selling training courses as a mandatory prerequisite to resource purchase (Foundation Training, Focused Foundation Training, Organisational Training, Advanced Specialist courses, and a Licensed Training course at £1,299), by selling physical resources (~£44 per topic set) and digital subscriptions through its e-commerce site, and by licensing a 200+ trainer network worldwide that delivers training and resells resources within their own organizations. Go-to-market is primarily sales-led via direct e-commerce and the licensed trainer channel, with marketing support from a research publication portfolio, sector events (Communication Matters, RCSLT Scotland), video content, and social media. The customer base spans health and social care providers (multiple NHS trusts), education (schools, SEND), justice (HMP Berwyn), and third-sector organizations, with named customers across each vertical. The headcount is small (1-10 employees), no external institutional investment is disclosed, and the operation is supplemented by grant funding from Innovate UK, the Scottish Government, and the Big Lottery Awards for All.
Talking Mats firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Talking Mats
- Legal name
- Talking Mats Ltd.
- Website
- https://talkingmats.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Talking Mats is a Stirling-based social enterprise that provides a picture-symbol visual communication framework, training, and digital/physical resources for practitioners working with people who have communication difficulties across health, social care, education, and justice sectors.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Talking Mats industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Tools
- NAICS
- Offices of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists, and Audiologists (62134)
- SIC
- Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050), Services-Skilled Nursing Care Facilities (8051)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Virtual Nursing, Telemonitoring & Command Center Platforms (HLACAFAH)
Keywords
Where Talking Mats is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Stirling
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Talking Mats business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Training Courses: Foundation training, Focused Foundation Training, Organisational training, Licensed Trainer courses, and Advanced Specialist courses. Training is required before purchasing resources, creating a prerequisite revenue stream.
- Digital Subscriptions: Talking Mats Pro monthly or annual paid subscriptions, along with one-time payment options for Talking Mats Lite app and Talking Mats Original.
- Physical Resources: Talking Mats Original physical products and Additional Resources sold through the online shop, with UK and international shipping options.
- Licensed Training Business: Licensed trainers can train others within their own organisations or through partnerships, creating a network-based distribution model with 200+ licensed trainers worldwide.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | One time/ perpetual license | Foundation Training - Core training course |
| One time/ perpetual license | One time/ perpetual license | Licensed Training Course - Face-to-Face |
| One time/ perpetual license | One time/ perpetual license | Licensed Training Course - Video Link |
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Exploring Spirituality Resource |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | UK Shipping |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | International Shipping |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Talking Mats product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Talking Mats provides a visual communication framework that uses picture symbols placed on a textured mat with a visual scale to help people with communication difficulties express their views and participate in decision-making. The offering spans physical card-based mats (Talking Mats Original), digital web and mobile applications (Digital Talking Mats, Talking Mats Pro/Lite/Taster), topic-specific symbol resource sets, and mandatory Foundation Training plus Licensed Trainer and consultancy services. It is targeted at practitioners and organisations working in health and social care, education, and justice.
Product overview
Talking Mats is a social enterprise providing a visual communication framework available both as physical card sets and digital web/app platforms. The core product portfolio includes Digital Talking Mats (web-app), Talking Mats Pro (subscription), Talking Mats Lite (paid app), Talking Mats Taster (free app), and Talking Mats Original (physical cards). Access to resources requires Foundation Training, with advanced Licensed Training available for those wishing to become trainers. Specialized topic resources include Health and Wellbeing, Social Care, Keeping Safe, Thinking Ahead, Exploring Spirituality, Supporting Communication with AAC, and Funeral Planning, each comprising specific picture symbol sets for different conversation contexts. The company also offers consultancy services across Education, Health and Social Care, and Justice sectors.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Digital Talking Mats: Web-based digital platform version of the Talking Mats communication tool
- Exploring Spirituality Resource
- Supporting Communication with AAC
- Keeping Safe Resource
- Thinking Ahead
- Funeral Planning Resource
Products and services
- Digital Talking Mats Web-based digital platform that enables users to create and conduct visual communication conversations using interactive mats with picture symbols, usable in person or remotely via screen sharing in video calls.
- Talking Mats Pro Subscription-based digital Talking Mats product with monthly or annual access to the complete digital platform, providing instant login access for trained practitioners.
- Talking Mats Lite Paid mobile application version of Talking Mats available for download on mobile devices, providing access to the visual communication framework on phones and tablets.
- Talking Mats Taster Free mobile application providing introductory access to Talking Mats functionality, used as a discovery and trial experience for new users.
- Talking Mats Original Physical card-based communication resource using picture symbols placed on a textured mat with a visual top scale, designed for in-person visual conversations with people who have communication difficulties.
- Foundation Training
Quantifiable outcome
- Cost benefit ratio of £23.00 return for every £1.00 spent on Keeping Safe resource and training
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Talking Mats
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Talking Mats technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Talking Mats partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and notable.
- Ace CentrecoreAce Centre first contacted Talking Mats in 2018 with the idea of developing a specific assessment resource for AAC users. This partnership led to the development of the 'Supporting Communication with AAC' resource and online advanced training module.
- Scottish Centre of Technology for the Communication Impaired (SCTCI)coreCollaborated with Talking Mats on the development of the 'Supporting Communication with AAC' resource and advanced training module.
- Queen Margaret UniversitynotableDr Ann Clark from Queen Margaret University presented research findings on communication in Hearings at Talking Mats Youth Justice seminar, highlighting SLCN (Speech, Language and Communication Needs) in children and young people.
- Royal College of Speech and Language Therapy ScotlandnotableKim Harley Kean, Head of RCSLT Scotland office, participated in Talking Mats Youth Justice seminar, discussing communication support and equality in justice and care services.
- Talking Trouble Aotearoa NZnotableSally Kedge and Alayne McKee from Talking Trouble NZ shared innovative work on communication needs at Talking Mats seminars. They presented on using Talking Mats with children and families in criminal justice and child protection contexts.
- Communication MattersnotableCommunication Matters and AAC networks advertised the working group and helped form the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion resource development group in 2021.
- University of StirlingnotableUniversity of Stirling collaborated on the Talking Health and Housing project, with researchers from the university working with Talking Mats on health and housing outcomes for tenants.
- University of EdinburghnotableUniversity of Edinburgh researchers collaborated on the Talking Health and Housing project alongside Talking Mats and University of Stirling.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Talking Mats competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- CoughDrop: Cloud-based AAC app designed for tablets and browsers, used by speech-language professionals and families — comparable as a digital AAC platform, focused on a simpler subscription-delivered alternative to enterprise AAC suites.
Broad incumbents
- Tobii Dynavox: Global market leader in AAC devices and software (including Boardmaker symbol materials), serving speech-language pathologists, educators, and healthcare providers — closely comparable in serving the same SLT/SEND buyer with symbol-based communication tools, but at much greater scale and as a portfolio player.
- PRC-Saltillo: US-headquartered AAC device and language app maker (LAMP Words for Life, TouchChat) used by speech-language professionals — comparable as an AAC specialist serving SLTs and individuals with communication difficulties, with overlapping symbol-based methodology.
Regional players
- Crick Software: UK-based education software publisher of Clicker and DocsPlus, widely used in UK primary schools and SEND settings — comparable in providing symbol/picture-supported communication and writing tools for the same UK SEND and speech therapy buyer.
Others
- AAC Institute: US-based AAC education and advocacy organisation providing training, resources, and research for SLTs and AAC practitioners — comparable as a training/research-driven enabler for AAC adoption, supporting similar practitioner communities to Talking Mats' licensed trainer network.
- Communication Matters: UK charity and sector body for AAC, organising the Communication Matters Conference and supporting practitioners — comparable as an ecosystem player that Talking Mats actively partners with, shaping AAC training and policy in the UK.
Direct peers
- Widgit Software: UK developer of symbol-based communication and literacy software (Widgit Online, Communicate: In Print) used widely in UK special education and healthcare settings — comparable in offering symbol-based visual communication tools for SEND, speech therapy, and care applications.
- Boardmaker (by Tobii Dynavox): Widely-used picture symbol library and activity creator for special education and speech therapy, originally Picture Communication Symbols (PCS) — directly comparable as a symbol-based resource for SLTs, educators, and SEND practitioners.
- AssistiveWare: Developer of Proloquo and Proloquo2Go AAC apps for iOS, used by speech therapists and people with communication difficulties — comparable as a digital-first AAC/symbol-based communication platform serving the same SLT and end-user community.
- Smartbox Assistive Technology: UK-based provider of AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) hardware and software (Grid 3, Grid for iPad) widely used by speech and language therapists and special education needs teams — directly comparable as an AAC/communication support specialist serving overlapping clinical and education buyer groups.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Talking Mats social profiles
Digital presenceTalking Mats financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Talking Mats leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Talking Mats funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Talking Mats M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Talking Mats
What does Talking Mats do?
Talking Mats provides a visual communication framework that uses picture symbols placed on a textured mat with a visual scale to help people with communication difficulties express their views and participate in decision-making. The offering spans physical card-based mats (Talking Mats Original), digital web and mobile applications (Digital Talking Mats, Talking Mats Pro/Lite/Taster), topic-specific symbol resource sets, and mandatory Foundation Training plus Licensed Trainer and consultancy services. It is targeted at practitioners and organisations working in health and social care, education, and justice.
Is Talking Mats a public or private company?
Talking Mats is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Talking Mats founded?
Talking Mats was founded in 1998. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Talking Mats based?
Talking Mats is headquartered in Stirling, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Talking Mats make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Training Courses are the primary driver. The others are digital Subscriptions, physical Resources and licensed Training Business.
Who are Talking Mats's main competitors?
CoughDrop is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Tobii Dynavox and PRC-Saltillo. Crick Software is listed as a regional player. Others are AAC Institute and Communication Matters. Direct peers are Widgit Software, Boardmaker (by Tobii Dynavox), AssistiveWare and Smartbox Assistive Technology.
Does Talking Mats have an API?
No public API is recorded for Talking Mats.
What industry is Talking Mats in?
Talking Mats's product category is Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Tools. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLACAFAH, Virtual Nursing, Telemonitoring & Command Center Platforms. Its NAICS code is 62134 and its SIC code is 8050.