About Milo

The story of Milo

The story of Milo began with Hans's personal dream. He wanted to become a language doctor, but ended up studying linguistics instead. In the early 1980s, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) technology didn't exist yet. When the first computers emerged, Hans saw the opportunity to help people who struggled with communication by using speech-generating devices. His focus was especially on children who couldn't speak.

Hans had attempted several times to establish an organization with this goal, but each attempt failed. That changed in 2002 when he met Wim Prins, a father of a daughter with a rare genetic disorder resulting in intellectual disabilities. Wim believed in Hans's idea, and together they brainstormed how to make it happen. In 2008, they drafted an initial plan, but it proved to be unfeasible. Wim emphasized the importance of Hans becoming a professor first. The synergy between science and practice became the foundation of Milo.

The turning point came when Hans was appointed as an extraordinary professor of Augmentative and Alternative Communication at Radboud University Nijmegen. It was here that the concept for a feasible version of Stichting Milo emerged as an independent treatment center for augmentative and alternative communication. Establishing Milo was challenging, with no financial resources or staff, but with the help of Wim and later Arjen Beekman, a certified public accountant, they succeeded. Arjen handled the business side of the organization while Hans focused on the content.

The three men formed the core of Stichting Milo. Hans is grateful that his dream of becoming a language doctor eventually came true, albeit in a different way than he had imagined. Milo has since grown into an expertise center for augmentative and alternative communication, where treatment, education, research, and innovation go hand in hand. With over a hundred employees, we dedicate ourselves every day to children and young adults who struggle to communicate due to complex communication needs, as well as their communication partners.