Mariella Satow

Mariella Satow, teenage entrepreneur, is the Founder and CEO of SignUp Captions. SignUp is a free Google Chrome Extension that overlays sign language captions on movies and TV shows on Disney+ and Netflix. The extension was invented during the pandemic after Mariella began learning American Sign Language (ASL) and discovered there was nothing like it available. Since its launch in September 2021, SignUp now has more than 20,000 weekly users, 200 interpreters and is seeing exponential growth. Created in collaboration with, and welcomed by the Deaf community, SignUp is used as an educational tool in classrooms, with students discovering new vocabulary, sharpening receptive skills, and providing an opportunity for students to be exposed to various signing styles and language models. As well as fostering inclusion in Deaf and hearing classrooms, SignUp is also used as a tool in interpreter teaching programs and is being licensed by other companies to provide equal access. SignUp gives media accessibility to entertainment for a community poorly served by big media. 432 million people worldwide are Deaf or Hard of Hearing and there are over 300 sign languages. SignUp was launched in the US with ASL and is now available with British Sign Language, and India, Pakistan, Canada, and Australia next. Originally funded with money made from dog walking, Mariella has started her seed round and will continue to work on SignUp when she starts at Stanford University in September 2023.