disAbled Life continues to advance disability and accessibility innovation by connecting companies, nonprofits, funds, and research to the capital, partners, and validation they need to move from discovery to real-world impact.
At a Glance:
- 14 new Gateway listings since April, now over 70 across four verticals
- Research vertical is live, with 8 studies listed and first funding deployed
- Accessibility audits now available to Gateway members
- Continued momentum behind the disAbled Life Foundation’s $1 million campaign, with new materials available to support funder introductions
- PK’s running commentary 👣
1. Research Vertical: Live and Funding
In May we launched the Research vertical, and it has quickly become the most active part of the Gateway. Eight research listings are now live, including validation studies from Gateway members Reed AI, Teacher Tutor Network, GaitBetter, PathAble, LS Adaptive, Biomotum, and PathMaker Neurosystems.
The first funding is already flowing: the disAbled Life Foundation facilitated grant funding for Reed AI’s naturalistic intervention efficacy study with the AJ Drexel Autism Institute, connecting an AI-driven member company with an academic partner to support rigorous validation.
This is the model working as designed.
Gateway members bring their innovations → the Foundation helps structure and fund the research that validates them → and that evidence accelerates readiness for follow-on capital, partnerships, and scale.
*remember to select “Research” when submitting!
2. Gateway Growth
In addition to the new Research projects, 6 new innovators have joined the Innovation Gateway, bringing the total number of innovators on the Gateway to 51.
Please join us in welcoming Augmental, PathMaker Neurosystems, Arize Prosthetics, Kinemo, iAccess, and ATDev!
The most productive Gateway relationships involve proactive, two-way communication. Members help us represent and support their work by regularly sharing milestones, funding needs, partnership opportunities, and challenges.
3. Accessibility Assessments for Gateway Members
We believe the disability innovation ecosystem should lead by example on accessibility.
Gateway member iAccess is offering accessibility assessments and advisory services exclusively to fellow Gateway members at a preferred member rate, beginning with reviews of their digital presence.
This gives Gateway organizations access to specialized expertise from within the community while helping strengthen accessibility across the ecosystem.
4. $1M Campaign: Momentum Continues
The disAbled Life Foundation’s $1 million campaign supports expanded operating capacity and the deployment of catalytic, non-dilutive capital.
The campaign has received grant support from Ability Central and the Silicon Valley Community Foundation / Resonance Philanthropies, along with commitments from mission-aligned individual funders.
We’ve also created a new, simplified introduction to disAbled Life and the unique model behind the Innovation Gateway. It is available below for your review and to share where useful.
PK’s Running Commentary 👣
The Forbes Accessibility 200 recognition we announced in May has become far more than a simple accolade; it is actively drawing significant attention to you, our community of innovators. This milestone is quickly translating into new opportunities, attracting new high-caliber participants and fresh capital interest to the Innovation Gateway. We continue to witness a steady stream of productive engagements with funders, corporate leaders, and strategic partners who are recognizing the immense potential of this ecosystem for the first time.
What excites me most this quarter is seeing our ecosystem in motion. Innovators are successfully bridging the gap to vital resources, scientific validation is gaining speed, members are strengthening accessibility through peer collaboration, and catalytic funding is reaching the hands of those building truly transformative solutions. This is what a thriving disability innovation ecosystem looks like in action.
Thank you for being part of this growing movement. The infrastructure disAbled Life is building is increasing the cadence at which innovators gain access to research, capital, partnerships, and other essential resources. We look forward to creating more of these outcomes across the Innovation Gateway in the quarters ahead.
-PK