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I am often asked, "How did Remarkable start? Where did the idea come from?" I love answering this question because the story is a powerful one. It all began in 2012 when I first met Alper Sirvan.
A Simple Question With Remarkable Potential
Back then, I was working as a Project Manager within Cerebral Palsy Alliance with a keen focus on innovation, internally and externally.
One of my colleagues was asked to lead World Cerebral Palsy Day, the first truly international day to celebrate the lives of people living with cerebral palsy around the world. However, we believed it could be more than just a one-day event.
That’s when we came up with the idea of a co-creation innovation exercise: to source real challenges and create a world of positive change. And we started by asking the worldwide cerebral palsy community this question:
“What’s one thing that would change your world?”
To us, this wasn’t just a question. It was an opportunity to uncover real challenges and explore innovative ways to address them.
And that’s when we met Alper. Well, kind of.
Alper’s Big Idea
Alper lives 15,000 kilometers away, and while we’ve never met in person or spoken directly, the internet allowed us to exchange messages.
He shared his challenge of living in a hilly area where the steep terrain caused his power wheelchair battery to drain quickly, making it hard to commute to work or attend social outings.
Alper needed a reliable solution to keep his wheelchair powered. His idea immediately captured our attention:
"I want a solar-powered wheelchair that can go anywhere without running out of battery.'"
A Global Call To Innovate
We shared Alper’s idea with the worldwide maker community. The response was incredible. A team at the University of Virginia took the challenge to create a prototype.
Let’s be honest—it wasn’t the prettiest invention. Imagine cables, a metal frame and a solar panel that doubled as a sun visor. But it worked! It used sunlight to power the wheelchair, and we sent it off to Alper.
Six weeks later, we got a message that changed everything:
“I’m able to go to work and participate fully in social activities with my solar powered wheelchair.”
That was the power of technology changing someone's life.
The Start Of Something Bigger
Alper’s story made us ask, “How can we do this at scale? How can we create more stories like his?” Those questions lit the spark that started Remarkable.
Since meeting Alper, Remarkable has grown into a hub for Disability Tech and we now offer training, capital, and a supportive community to help innovators build a future that’s accessible, fair, and inclusive for everyone.
We’ve partnered with over 130 startups, helped innovators turn ideas into businesses, and created thousands of jobs. Startups from our programs now serve hundreds of thousands of customers and attract millions in funding.
Along with our startup acceleration programs, we have introduced other initiatives including a fellowship for entrepreneurs with disability, podcast series, industry events, and are part of a thriving global ecosystem.
We’re Only Getting Started - Where You Come In
We believe Disability Tech is good for people, good for the economy, and a gateway to opportunities in markets like aged care and Southeast Asia.
But we can’t do it alone. We need you—the community of innovators, entrepreneurs, and supporters. Check out our range of programs and initiatives to apply for, like our Launcher Pre-Accelerator and User Feedback Community.
Together, we can create more stories like Alper’s and build a future where technology removes barriers and creates possibilities for everyone.
Let’s make it happen.
