Fellowship helps 10 differently-abled entrepreneurs scale their ventures

Among the key achievements, Equal Edge, one of the enterprises in the programme, increased its customised wheelchair sales from 20 to 35.

As many as 10 differently-abled entrepreneurs were recognised at the culmination of the imaginATe Fellowship, an initiative of the AssisTech Foundation, in Bengaluru, on Thursday and Friday (November 12 and 13).

The nine-month fellowship, which aimed at supporting differently-abled entrepreneurs to scale their ventures, has helped three enterprises reach the revenue stage, five progress to the pilot stage and two advance to the prototype stage, said a press note.

It noted that the programme included nearly 15 expert-led learning sessions, a three-day residential bootcamp at the International Institute of Information Technology-Bangalore (IIIT-B) and interactions with around 25 experts from industry, academia and the social sector. Fellows also received support in business modelling, financial planning, fundraising and venture development.

Among the key achievements, Equal Edge, one of the enterprises in the programme, increased its customised wheelchair sales from 20 to 35, while another venture, Radio Udaan, grew from a volunteer-driven community enterprise to a team of four permanent employees. Additionally, one of the ventures, Nishcorp Technologies, secured a ₹15-lakh Start-up India Seed Fund grant for developing robotic wheelchairs, the statement said.