Meet Jon Reynolds: The 27‑Year‑Old Who’s Turning Typing Into a Global Superpower
When the London Loves Excellence Awards crowned 27‑year‑old Jon Reynolds a highly commended Young Entrepreneur, the tech world leaned in. Turns out, Jon isn’t just a whiz in business—he’s also a language-loving, keyboard‑taming genius behind SwiftKey, the app that lets you glide across your screen and have the phone guess what you’re about to type.
SwiftKey’s Rise to Dominance
Fast‑track: SwiftKey is a five‑year‑old UK startup that’s made a splash on Google Play, topping the charts in 58 countries. While the company keeps its revenue figures under wraps, the headline is clear—revenues are flying at five‑fold growth each year.
We’re not just looking at a single app. SwiftKey has recruited three hundred hands and eyes (now 100 staff) and opened fresh HQs in Seoul and San Francisco, proving the UK’s small‑town tech dream can leap overseas.
Jon Says:
“We see typing not just as pressing keys, but as making people talk in their own language.” Jon & his co‑founder Ben Medlock set out to craft the next step in language tech—moving beyond keyboards to natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning (ML). The company is building a system that reads and writes like a human, dropping those cringe‑worthy autocorrect moments that many of us still hate.
So What’s the Dream?
Jon’s got the sunscreen on his startup’s face—the $17.5 million Series B round led by Index Ventures is all about expansion. The money isn’t a lifeline for existing ops; it’s a rocket for future. Fast‑tracing the path to:
- Beta‑speed R&D to crush more consumer, OEM, and enterprise projects
- Recruiting the sharpest brains, particularly in regions with a tech pulse like the US, Korea, and beyond
- Stretching the brand beyond the UK, navigating the differences that make American markets a different beast
Why the US (and why Vancouver isn’t enough)
Jon lives in the Bay Area now—he flies back to London, but the US tech ecosystem is a must‑have. With Android already dominating the American market, SwiftKey has a massive user base pushing sales. By setting roots in San Francisco, the team can connect with local founders, influencers, and investors—giving them a tighter grip on market gossip and a faster feed of feedback.
Global Growth, One Language at a Time
Language‑wise, SwiftKey’s arsenal has 60 languages, with support for up to three at once—a turn‑key solution for users who swing between tongues in real time. The app’s number‑one status in 58 countries is no fluke; it’s a testament to a multilingual, localized approach. The big moves are coming from Korea—an epicenter for big apps and a testbed where SwiftKey can refine AI predictions in real stride.
Funding & Future
Securing the Series B was no small feat. It’s the first round since 2011 and came with a heavy oversubscription—pretty much the pro‑level endorsement it deserves. The backing of Index Ventures and established angel investors has the SwiftKey brand and tech on a launchpad that’s hypersensitive to disruption.
Jon’s aspiration remains crystal: keep SwiftKey not only relevant, but the flagship for language tech, a sustainable market leader that reframes how people type, speak, and communicate worldwide.
What’s Next for SwiftKey?
From cleaner typing experiences to more accurate language predictions, the road ahead is clear: learn faster, write better, and finally, get that vanishing autocorrect button to vanish from the scene. Jon’s 27‑year‑old energy is the fuel that powers this mission—no fancy drones needed.
Stay tuned, tech aficionados. SwiftKey is just getting started.
