BY OKPAIRE GODSENT OSEHON
A Kenya-based accelerator dedicated to assistive technologies, Innovate Now, has announced its largest cohort to date, reinforcing its commitment to designing products with persons with disabilities at the core.
Run by the Assistive Technologies for Disability Trust (AT4D), the programme has selected 19 startups operating in areas such as speech therapy, mobility, inclusive education, and caregiver support—sectors experiencing growing demand but lacking locally tailored solutions.
Across Africa, roughly 200 million people need at least one assistive product, yet access remains limited. High costs—largely driven by imported devices—continue to exclude many potential users, while solutions developed outside the continent often fail to account for local infrastructure, cultural contexts, and maintenance challenges.
Innovate Now addresses this gap through its “Live Labs” approach, which integrates users directly into early-stage product development. Persons with disabilities actively test prototypes, highlight usability challenges, and influence product evolution before market launch—an approach the programme considers essential in a sector where user input is often overlooked.
“Building with persons with disabilities at the centre is not optional—it’s essential,” said Bernard Chiira, founder of AT4D. “It ensures solutions are not only innovative but also relevant, accessible, and affordable.”
As part of the initiative, a 72-hour AI for Accessibility hackathon held from March 5 to 7 brought together developers, students, and persons with disabilities to co-create solutions. Fifteen projects emerged, with ten advancing into incubation alongside nine startups selected through an open call.
One standout project is Chacha, a Kenyan AI-powered platform created during the hackathon to support children with speech development through real-time feedback and guided exercises—addressing a longstanding shortage of speech and language therapy services across Africa.
Founder Peninah Gituku noted that the co-creation process significantly shaped the product. “Caregivers helped us identify where frustrations occur in everyday routines,” she said. “That insight changed how we built Chacha. We’re not replacing speech therapy—we’re complementing it.”
The platform focuses on children aged 0 to 8 with mild speech impairments, combining pronunciation feedback with exercises informed by both caregivers and therapists. This design aims to improve usability in home environments where formal therapy is often inaccessible or unaffordable.
For participants, the process represents a departure from traditional product development. “The fact that the team asked about my daily reality before writing more code made me feel seen and heard,” said Mary, a caregiver involved in testing.
The selected startups will now undergo an eight-month incubation programme, receiving mentorship, coaching, and continued user testing in collaboration with Kilimanjaro Blind Trust Africa.
Since its launch in 2019, Innovate Now reports supporting 88 assistive technology ventures and engaging more than 200 founders across 10 cohorts, collectively reaching over 40,000 users. Around 40% of these startups have brought products to market, while 38% have secured funding through grants and awards.