ALYNnovation’s partnerships with our portfolio companies are empowering children with disabilities (CwD) in Israel and around the world. Your investment and partnership in the assistive technology being developed by these companies will allow children to have: the freedom of mobility, functional independence, social participation, equal education and eventually equal employment prospects.
In short: You are supporting the full and effective participation of children with disabilities in society and affording them the same opportunities as their peers.
At ALYNnovation, we accompany assistive technology entrepreneurs and start-ups, with an eye towards marketing the finished products in Israel and globally. ALYN Hospital has the expertise, knowledge, facilities and research labs a start-up needs to test and modify their product.
Every day, 350 children undergo rehabilitation in the various departments at the hospital and products developed through ALYNnovation partnerships are being used to better the future of children with disabilities around the world.
Given that over 1 billion people worldwide need 1 or more assistive products but only 1 in 10 people in need have access to those products, there is a market for developing the solutions our partner companies can provide.
In 2019, the ALYNnovation team met with over 40 entrepreneurs and startups in the assistive technology field. Utilizing our expertise in understanding the needs of CwD, we tested and reviewed each startup's product to validate that they meet a real need and provide meaningful solutions for CwD.
By year’s end, ALYNnovation has signed contracts with 3 new partners and renewed our partnership with one company as we work to develop assistive technology solutions. Below is a brief description of some of the products being created by our portfolio companies:
Wheelchairs of Hope
Wheelchairs of Hope (WoH), working with ALYNnovation’s team, developed a durable, lightweight and affordable wheelchair for children with disabilities to increase mobility and empower access to primary education for CwD in less developed environments.
Over the last two and a half years, WoH has provided wheelchairs and changed the lives of over 10,000 children worldwide! Their wheelchairs are being used in Vietnam, Guatemala, Colombia, Senegal, Iraq, Ukraine and 16 more countries around the globe.
According to the World Health Organization, 75 million people globally need a wheelchair but only 5-15% have access to one. Wheelchairs of Hope’s commitment to “not leaving anyone behind” provides an affordable and accessible solution.
ALYNnovation has renewed its partnership with WoH to develop the second-generation iteration of their wheelchair. The new wheelchair’s components will help additional children who need increased functionality that wasn’t available in the original model.
Headovations
In 2014, Headovations began with the goal of enabling children’s restful sleep and protecting their vulnerable heads during car rides. As they developed their product, they morphed their mission into providing better head support for all who need it, including children with disabilities.
Our partnership with Headovations will help create a universal head support system that can be attached to almost any existing wheelchair and that can be adjusted to address the unique personal head positioning for each individual.
Copli Technologies
Eight million amputees live in developing countries and the vast majority do not have access to prosthetics. Copli Technologies is developing a sleekly designed, adjustable, and low-cost prosthetic leg intended for at-home self-fitting.
Their product provides a solution for those living in villages (far from lab and technician support) to work, play and conduct a normal life.
Additionally, it can also be used in developed countries as a secondary prosthetic leg. It provides a solution at locations such as the beach or swimming pool, where the main expensive prosthetic leg cannot be used due to the environmental conditions.
As Copli's main clinical partner, ALYN Hospital is working with the Copli team on developing the prosthetic leg.
Libra@Home
Libra@Home is a neurorehabilitation company developing tools to improve the quality and delivery of treatment for patients with neurological impairments. By combining a therapist-driven and independent bedside approach, Libra@Home improves rehabilitation outcomes, increases time devoted to therapeutic activities and speeds up recovery.
ALYNnovation’s partnership with Libra@home will improve the existing solution and develop a pediatric version that addresses the unique challenges of delivering therapy to children and adolescents.