Dublin-based DevAlly raises €2 million to help companies comply with Europe’s new accessibility law
Dublin-based DevAlly, a startup helping companies comply with Europe’s new accessibility regulations, has raised €2 million in pre-seed funding led by Belgian fund Miles Ahead Capital, with participation from NDRC, Enterprise Ireland, and several European angel investors to expand its AI-powered accessibility platform and grow its team.
Founded in 2024 by Irish entrepreneur Cormac Chisholm and Patrick Guiney, DevAlly is among the first startups to use technology to help businesses meet the requirements of the European Accessibility Act (EAA), which came into effect in June 2025. The EAA, similar in scope to the GDPR, mandates accessibility standards for websites, apps and digital products across the EU, with non-compliance carrying the risk of significant fines.
DevAlly’s platform automates the detection of accessibility barriers, such as videos without captions or colour contrasts unsuitable for visually impaired users. It also tracks user-reported issues, generates accessibility reports, and helps teams integrate accessibility into their product development cycles. Unlike traditional manual audits performed by consultants, DevAlly combines human expertise with AI and large language models (LLMs) to deliver scalable and continuous accessibility testing.
“The thing that surprised us most was that even massive companies were coming to us two weeks before the deadline saying, ‘Oh, we didn’t know anything about this,’” said CEO and Co-founder Cormac Chisholm. “Good design is accessible design. One in five people live with a disability, and disability can also be situational – for instance, heavy glare on your screen or holding a baby with one hand. Universal design benefits everyone.”
The company plans to use the new capital to expand its team from five to fifteen employees by the end of the year, primarily in Dublin, where it took part in the NDRC accelerator programme run by Dogpatch Labs on behalf of Enterprise Ireland. With support from Miles Ahead Capital, DevAlly also plans to enter the US market, beginning with sales operations in San Francisco, where the team has built connections with accessibility leaders at major software companies following its participation in TechCrunch Disrupt’s Startup Battlefield 2024.
Co-founder and Chief Revenue Officer Patrick Guiney said, “A lot of our customers right now are on the West Coast. We’re positioning ourselves as a bridge to Europe for US companies that want to meet EAA compliance requirements efficiently.”
The European Accessibility Act has spurred growing demand for tools like DevAlly’s, with many businesses scrambling to update their digital platforms. Other startups, including Barcelona-based QualiBooth, are also emerging in this space. However, DevAlly’s founders see a broader opportunity in helping both European and American firms adapt to accessibility standards and improve user experiences for all customers.
Rising awareness of accessibility is also being fuelled by economic incentives. Disabled consumers and their households represent an estimated €7.5 trillion in annual disposable income worldwide. As Chisholm noted, improvements like captions on Netflix or accessible design on mobile devices often lead to better user experiences for everyone.
“The improvements that come with accessibility become massive advancements in how we all use technology,” Chisholm said. “It’s a much better form of design.”
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