Kenya's assistive technology sector just got a significant boost. Innovate Now, run by Assistive Technologies for Disability Trust (AT4D), has announced its largest cohort to date with 19 startups selected across speech therapy, mobility, inclusive education, and caregiver support.
What stands out is their approach. This is not your typical accelerator program where developers build in isolation then hope users adopt their products.
The Live Labs Difference
Innovate Now's "Live Labs" model flips traditional product development on its head. Persons with disabilities test prototypes, identify usability problems, and directly influence how products evolve before market launch.
"At Innovate Now, building with persons with disabilities at the centre is not optional, it is essential," said Bernard Chiira, founder of AT4D. "It ensures the solutions are not only innovative, but truly relevant, accessible, and affordable."
The numbers explain why this matters. Across Africa, an estimated 200 million people require at least one assistive product, yet access remains severely limited.
From Hackathon to Market Ready
The cohort emerged from multiple pathways. A 72-hour AI for Accessibility hackathon ran from March 5 to 7, bringing together developers, university students, and persons with disabilities to co-create solutions from scratch.
Fifteen projects emerged from the hackathon. Ten progressed into incubation alongside nine startups selected through an open application process.
Chacha stands out among the selected startups. This AI-powered platform, developed during the hackathon by founder Peninah Gituku, helps children improve speech through real-time feedback and guided exercises.
User Input Reshapes Products
The co-creation process fundamentally changed how Chacha was built. Gituku explained how caregiver involvement shifted their development approach.
"Caregivers helped us see where frustration actually lives in daily routines," she said. "That changed how we built Chacha. We are not replacing speech therapy, we are designing something that supports it."
The platform combines pronunciation feedback with exercises shaped by input from both caregivers and therapists. This design choice improves usability in home settings where formal therapy is often inaccessible or unaffordable.
For users participating in testing, the experience represents a departure from traditional product development cycles. Mary, a caregiver who participated in the program, captured this shift perfectly.
"The fact that the team asked about my day-to-day reality before writing more code made me feel seen and heard," said Mary.
Eight-Month Incubation Ahead
The selected startups now enter an eight-month incubation phase. They will refine their products through mentorship, coaching, and continued user testing partnerships.
This model could influence how assistive technology develops across the continent. When users with disabilities drive product design from day one rather than receiving finished products built without their input, the results tend to be more practical and adoption rates higher.
I believe this approach addresses a fundamental problem in our AI and tech development processes. Too often, solutions are built in boardrooms and labs without sufficient input from the people who will actually use them daily.
The success of this cohort could establish a new standard for assistive technology development across Africa, where user-centered design becomes the norm rather than the exception.