We build technologies and communities that enable persons with disabilities to thrive.

Background

Assistive Technologies for Disability Trust (AT4D) is a legacy of Innovate Now – Africa’s first assistive technology accelerator and inclusive Innovation ecosystem. Innovate Now was launched in 2019 and implemented in partnership with the Global Disability Innovation Hub, Amref Health Africa with FCDO funding. From 2022 to 2024 Innovate now was funded by NORAD and implemented in partnership with Global Disability Innovation Hub, Kilimanjaro Blind Trust Africa, IKT – Norge.
AT4D emerged from the backdrop of Innovate Now’s early success: impacting 100+ entrepreneurs and accelerating 45 startups to market, reaching AT innovators across 11 countries: Kenya, Uganda, Zambia, South Africa, Botswana, Nigeria, Egypt, Tunisia, USA and UK in only 4 years.
Under a bold new vision, AT4D is extending Innovate Now’s work for long-term sustainability and driving disability innovation in Africa into the future. Our goal is to enable 10 million people to access AT by 2050, thereby reducing AT access inequalities, enabling greater productivity, independence and full participation.

Why we exist

The unmet need for assistive technology (AT) products and services globally currently stands at 2.5 billion and is set to reach 3.5 billion by 2050. In Africa, more than 200 million people need AT, according to the WHO. Despite this huge and growing need, the AT markets are highly fragmented and dominated by huge medical product companies that price their products out of reach for most users.

AT product users (persons with disabilities and the elderly) do not have ease of access and are regularly not able to find high-quality products. These challenges present a great opportunity for innovators and startups to provide solutions to this unmet market need, and our accelerator exists to help these startups successfully go to market.

Core values

  • Innovation
  • Inclusion
  • Equity
  • Trust
  • Integrity

Vision

Empowered persons with disabilities everywhere, including in society, markets, and capital.

Mission

Building technologies and communities that enable persons with disabilities to thrive

Goal

By 2050, our aim is to ensure that 10 million persons with disabilities in Africa have access to assistive technology, empowering them to achieve greater productivity, independence, and full participation in society.
0 M
access AT by 2050
0 +
entrepreneurs supported
0
accelerated to market
0
countries reached

Team

Scroll to Top