Teaching Computers to Talk – Grammatek is the Registered Trademark of the Month

At Breiðin, the innovation centre in Akranes W-Iceland, creativity flourishes across diverse fields. One standout is the language technology company Grammatek, co-founded by Anna Björk Nikulásdóttir and her husband, computer scientist Daniel Schnell. The company recently reached registered its word and figurative mark Grammatek with the Icelandic Intellectual Property Office (ISIPO).

Anna, who also serves as CEO, highlights the dynamic environment at Breiðin and the inspiring community of innovators who work there. “The team and the spirit here are fantastic,” she says. "It’s incredibly motivating to be part of such a collaborative and creative atmosphere."

Advancing Icelandic through AI

Since its founding in 2018, Grammatek has focused on developing Icelandic language technology, particularly in the field of speech synthesis—essentially teaching computers to speak Icelandic. The company played an active role in the first phase of the government’s Language Technology Programme for 2019–2024, contributing to the foundational data and infrastructure needed to support Icelandic in the digital world.

“That work was crucial,” Anna explains. “The collaborative spirit, under the banner of Almannarómur, brought together universities, research institutions, private companies, government actors, and even the President of Iceland. The fact that all results were made openly available has drawn international attention.” One of the notable contributions was the making of an Icelandic pronunciation dictionary, which, as Anna notes, was used in Microsoft’s speech synthesizers.

Iceland leads in language and AI

When asked whether this work ensures the future of Icelandic in the digital age, Anna is cautiously optimistic. “There’s still much to be done, but Iceland was ahead of the curve when large-scale AI tools like ChatGPT emerged. While some small language communities were caught off guard, Iceland had already laid important groundwork.”
This leadership has led to Iceland being entrusted by UNESCO to establish an international collaboration platform focusing on culture and language in artificial intelligence—an acknowledgment of the country's pioneering role in digital language preservation.

From infrastructure to innovation

In addition to infrastructure projects, Grammatek has collaborated with partners such as the Icelandic Audio Library to develop accessible tools, including digital readings of textbooks. One of their key innovations is the Símaróm app, designed for Android with the blind and visually impaired in mind, but also beneficial for individuals with dyslexia. A much-anticipated version for iPhone is currently being tested, marking the first time an Icelandic speech synthesiser will be available for Apple devices.

“This will be a real breakthrough,” Anna says. “We’re also working to offer a wider variety of Icelandic voices. People relate differently to different voices, and voice diversity has long been available in English—but it’s time to bring that flexibility to Icelandic. Imagine companies having their own voice as part of their brand identity.”

Strong protection for invented words

Despite its classical tone, Grammatek is not a historical term but a word coined by the founders—derived from the Greek “gramma” (letter or written word) and “-tek” (referring to technology or storage, as in ‘bibliotek’ or ‘apotek’). Invented words like this are particularly well-suited for trademark protection due to their distinctiveness.

The company’s visual identity, including its logo, was designed by Unnur Jónsdóttir, a fellow innovator at Breiðin. Anna credits a visit from the Icelandic Intellectual Property Office last autumn for prompting the decision to register the trademark. “That visit really clarified the value of securing your rights through formal registration. We're proud of this step—it marks an important milestone for us.”

The trademark Grammatek (registration number V0136760) was officially registered on 15 March in classes 9 and 42, covering software and software as a service.

Registered trademark of the month Initiative

Each month, the ISIPO highlights a registered Icelandic trademark that demonstrates strong qualities from the perspective of intellectual property law. Trademarks selected must exhibit clear distinctiveness, avoid descriptiveness, and pose no risk of confusion with existing marks. This initiative, inspired by similar efforts in the Nordic region, aims to raise awareness about the importance of trademark registration and highlight innovative Icelandic enterprises.
Grammatek exemplifies how language, technology, and creativity can come together to preserve and promote Icelandic in the digital age—one synthesized word at a time.