BarrierBreak announces launch of Assistive Technology Startup Mentorship Program

Digital accessibility and consulting firm BarrierBreak has announced the launch of a three-month mentorship programme to support startup founders working on solutions for people with disabilities. Get the details here!

If you are a startup founder focusing on developing assistive technology solutions for people with disabilities, this is news you don’t want to miss out on.

BarrierBreak, the top digital accessibility and consulting firm, has announced the launch of the Assistive Technology Startup (ATS) Mentorship Program. This is a three-month programme that will assist startup founders focusing on solutions for people with disabilities. The programme will help startups identify and solve for their focus areas.

This will be a valuable opportunity for startup founders to gain from a market leader in depth knowledge of the disability sector, market understanding from India, global perspective and business acumen.

The first cohort will be mentored personally by Shilpi Kapoor, CEO, BarrierBreak, who has proved that disability solutions can be nurtured into a sustainable model. A serial entrepreneur, Shilpi saw this gap in the Assistive Technology startup community and is looking to break this barrier and see people succeed in this space.

India Perspective

In the last five years, India has seen a surge in startups focusing on assistive technology or disability solutions. This has been a pleasant change. Since this is a relatively nascent segment, many struggle to find the business model and market access to help become sustainable, scalable and profitable.

In the period pre-COVID, four startups have borne the brunt and had to close down. In the startup world, not every startup is a success. A recent study, “Entrepreneurial India,” by the IBM Institute for Business Value and Oxford Economics, found that 90% of Indian startups fail within the first five years. This will be true for startups focusing on disability as well. The ATS Mentorship Program aims to give them a winning chance.

Why BarrierBreak ATS Mentorship Program?

The BarrierBreak ATS Mentorship Program will be a one-to-one mentoring with the startup founders where they will learn to think through their challenges and opportunities, identify solutions, and create task-oriented measurable plans to get to their goals. The programme will be starting small with three startups in the cohort.

“We don’t ask you for Equity but we do ask you to be open and transparent, so we can together find the solutions. All the program asks for is an open and transparent approach so solutions can be found in a spirit of collaboration and partnership. “Your idea is yours, all we want to do is support you think it through and help you succeed. We won’t be doing the hard work for you, you will be doing it for yourself. We don’t offer you heaven and earth in three months, but we do offer that you will have clarity on your plan and steps ahead to achieve your goals”, as the ATS Mentorship Program brief says.

Disability is so entrenched in the charity model, and we see most startups struggle to break out of that mindset. Yes, CSR should be one of the areas for disability solutions to be delivered to the end customers, but the differentiator will be to see how we can look at other business models to scale and create impact. So if you want to break the shackles and think out of the box, then send in your nomination for the BarrierBreak Assistive Technology Mentorship Program. – Shilpi Kapoor, CEO, BarrierBreak

Questions regarding the ATS Mentorship Program can be emailed to mentorship@barrierbreak.co.

Get the details of the timeline here:

• Applications Close – 8 October.
• Application Interview Process – 12 to 16 October.
• Final Cohort Announcement – 22 October.
• Mentorship Period – 1 November to 31 January.

How to Apply

Before you send in your nominations, ensure you are:

• Open to discussions, suggestions, and feedback.
• Committed to investing time and working on the plans.
• Ready to think out of the box.

If you are an entrepreneur focused on a solution that impacts people with disabilities, don’t wait, Apply Now!

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Also Read:

• ‘Accessibility is about making a solution work for people on the entire spectrum’ – Webinar learnings from Shilpi Kapoor, BarrierBreak CEO