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UCL driving inclusive innovation and raising awareness around disability

3 December 2020

To mark the United Nation’s International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) we take a look at the work of the UCL-led East London Inclusive Enterprise Zone (ELIEZ).

Aerial shot of Here East, where Plexal is based

This September saw the opening of ELIEZ, a fully accessible innovation space for entrepreneurs who are disabled or focused on serving disabled communities.

UCL is a lead partner in ELIEZ, which is facilitated by UCL Innovation & Enterprise. ELIEZ is based at Plexal, an innovation centre and co-working space in the north of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

The mission of ELIEZ resonates with the theme of this year’s IDPD, “Building back better: toward a disability-inclusive, accessible and sustainable post COVID-19 world”. With this in mind, we take a closer look of some of the recent and upcoming activities at ELIEZ. 

Creating accessible spaces for entrepreneurship

The ELIEZ initiative is part of a UK government-backed network of University Enterprise Zones (UEZs). It’s one of the first accessible entrepreneurship communities, featuring a specially designed programme for startups, business leaders and design thinkers who are disabled, or whose work focuses on accessibility.

It's transforming the business of accessible innovation by accelerating the development of products and services from idea stage through to global deployment.

The ELIEZ team is delivering virtual and physical workshops, a mentoring programme, and hackathons. That’s in addition to offering a maximally adapted coworking space at Plexal.

Alongside this, ELIEZ launched a podcast series, The Inclusive Innovators, in partnership with SociAbility. It promotes ELIEZ activities and member companies to interested communities in London and beyond.

An inclusive collaboration  

ELIEZ has brought together several partners including UCL, Plexal, Here East, Global Disability Innovation Hub and Disability Rights UK.

Kamran Mallick, Chief Executive of Disability Rights UK, said: “I believe that diversity of experience results in greater impact to innovation. Disability Rights UK brings the lived experience of disabled people which will power innovation through the ELIEZ programme.”

Dr Celia Caulcott, UCL’s Vice-Provost (Enterprise), added: “Our mission at UCL is to foster innovation that has the potential to bring benefits to all segments of our society. To tackle the challenges ahead we need input and ideas from as diverse a spectrum of thinkers as possible. That’s why ELIEZ, which creates a space for entrepreneurs who are disabled or focused on serving disabled communities, is so important. I look forward to seeing the innovative products and services that this initiative will produce.”

Creating a community of entrepreneurs  

To date, a total of 19 entrepreneurs have enrolled onto the programme. Among them is Anike Mlemchukwu, who founded Lapapo. This unique online market place and community makes it easier for parents to find products for children with additional needs. These needs might be mobility, sensory, learning or more. 

Anike says: “We believe that children with additional needs deserve more. There should be more support, more awareness and more inclusion. Parents and carers constantly give their best to support their children and we believe they deserve a dedicated space.”

Another founder on the programme is Kate Mattick, who recently completed an MSc in Disability, Design and Innovation at UCL’s Global Disability Innovation Hub. Her Chat-e-Cycle venture is designing a tandem e-bicycle linked to a community scheme. It will allow residents in rural areas to unite side-by-side for transport, exercise and social connection.

Through workshops and mentoring sessions, Kate has received support in areas such as grant-writing, app development and accessibility communications as well as introductions to key contacts within the ELIEZ partnership network.

Current and upcoming events and activities

ELIEZ current and future activities include:

  • Accessible virtual 'lunch and learn' sessions on funding, app development, accessible communications, startup law and pitching (open to all). Dates will be announced in January 2021.
  • Providing mentors (UCL alumni) for members in partnership with UCL’s Entrepreneurship team in UCL Innovation & Enterprise.
  • A disability-led hack with students from the London College of Fashion looking at adaptive accessible fashion for wheelchair users with ELIEZ members and Disability Rights UK.
  • Q&A sessions with experienced business leaders from the accessible space.
  • A virtual demo-day showcasing all ELIEZ startups, with investors and ELIEZ partners in March 2021 to complete the programme 

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Photo © Plexal