On-Demand Assistive Tech

How can we increase access to assistive technologies using digital fabrication for easing PWDs’ day-to-day lives?

Do you have a background on Digital fabrication or web development? Do you want to create a real impact on the lives of People With Disabilities (PWDs)? Can you minimize the gap between the digital fabrication designers and the PWDs actual needs using assistive technology?

Join us to make difference! We are looking for innovative PWDs between the age of 18 and 40 to create and run a platform that connects PWDs users to designers and makers to manufacture customized solutions for PWDs’ daily challenges. If you’d like to partner with us, please read on for more details!
 

Background

Despite the existence of plenty of open-source designs and product designers with applicable ideas for assistive products and the huge potential of manufacturing such devices in nearby FabLabs; PWDs in the Arab world and sub-Saharan Africa still suffer from not finding a user-friendly gateway from which the user can choose the needed equipment and customize it based on his/her need.

Project Nitrous by Giza Systems Education Foundation supported by Drosos Foundation aims at using digital fabrication technology to address the unique day-to-day needs of Persons with Disabilities.

The competition targets a diverse group of people with disabilities to facilitate their inclusion in the job market by empowering them to develop a set of skills that enable PWDs to be employed or start their own business in digital fabrication.

The objectives of this competition:

• PWDs will be supported with assistive technology through digital fabrication

• PWDs soft and technical skills will be enhanced

• The support provided to the PWD will be sustained as the winners will run a revenue stream for Nitrous.

The Challenge

To create a comprehensive and innovative Business Model for a platform that connects PWDs in the Arab World and sub-Saharan Africa with designers, fablabs and makerspaces to find innovative customized products to solve the PWDs’ daily life challenges and to regulate the market between them. This model should develop a PWDs-friendly online marketplace platform that minimizes the fabrication cost of assistive technologies and maximizes the customization to suit each individual.

Who can participate and how to?

The competition is open for:

• PWD individuals or teams (a team must have at least one PWD member).

• Between the age of 18-40.

• Applicants must have a basic understanding

○ Digital Fabrication

○ Business skills

○ Web development and/or design skills

 

A full proposal is required to participate, your submission must contain:

• A business model canvas

• A wireframe model for the platform indicating preliminary features or functions.

You might add any additional supporting documents which you find relevant to your candidacy.

 

The Process and Rewards

1. Complete your submission before the 1st of April to enter the competition

2. Application screening phase: During this phase, a committee will review each submission

3. Filtration Phase: In this phase, the applicants will be filtered by one to one or group meetings, phone calls, etc.

4. One to one Meeting: Prior to the start of the training, a one on one meeting will be held with each applicant to discuss his/her level of involvement in the training and time consideration. Some applicants might need some tools to help them which Nitrous will develop for them.

5. Training: Successful candidates will join a one month training on digital fabrication and business mentorship by Giza Systems Education Foundation during which applicants will be filtered through their performance in the tasks given.
   More details on this phase will be shared prior to the start of the training with successful candidates.

6. The winner will receive a grant of up to 250,000 EGP in-kind and cash seed funding provided by Nitrous project and Istebdaa’ LLC to start collaboratively developing the platform and kick it off. The exact final equity / royality fees distribution will be based on due diligence of the contribution of the winning solver.

Please refer to the rules and FAQs or contact us at info@yomken.com for additional information or questions.

 

Conditions

As per our platform Terms and conditions in case the intellectual property rights are not registered, the innovator should not disclose any sensitive unprotected information, meanwhile, they should include all technical details required to judge the technical validity and feasibility of the solution.

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