The #AccessibleCities program we've been delivering with Slingshot Accelerator for Innovation NSW was revealed to a key audience last night at Telstra Customer Insights centre in Sydney. The following four teams presented the results of their 10 weeks of focussed effort:
TripGo - already established, this team were our scale-up as we worked together to develop next-level capability for a global player. Recently rated by Gartner as "Cool Vendor" (in the #MobilityAsAService sector), they walked the audience through their Trip Planner changes for wheelchair users. They have made journey planning and in-journey awareness of obstacles much easier - showing which stations are wheelchair accessible, re-routing when lifts are detected as out of service, modelling gradients and terrain steepness. Through the Accelerator, they generously shared lessons learnt in their international growth journey with early-stage teams, the challenges of supporting global operations and key tips for App positioning.
LendAHand by FutureGov - the Australian team revealed their micro-volunteering platform, designed to match willing commuters with other travellers to address the challenges of using public transport. Their approach makes it easier for Corporate Social Responsibility teams to pair up with Disability Support organisations and provide travel companionship in pre-planned journeys. Their discovery process revealed the impact of emotional elements of journeys as core barriers to public transport - fear, uncertainty, confidence - the team did a great job in communicating these experiences and designing a solution that builds independence through targeted alliances.
SwiftFare - frustrated by the impact of an antiquated paper docket system for users of the Taxi Transport Subsidy Scheme (TTSS) , this tech-savvy team of 2 fast-tracked a solution that fixes a bunch of problems. Travellers in the scheme now have a digital alternative, transforming the travel experience for passengers, drivers and scheme administrators. Travellers with disability, currently forced to use a paper docket system which requires handwritten form completion (imagine doing that if you have poor hand function) are now able to use a smartphone app that lets them book + pay conveniently, with banking grade audit trails and robust fraud-prevention patterns built in.
TripGo - already established, this team were our scale-up as we worked together to develop next-level capability for a global player. Recently rated by Gartner as "Cool Vendor" (in the #MobilityAsAService sector), they walked the audience through their Trip Planner changes for wheelchair users. They have made journey planning and in-journey awareness of obstacles much easier - showing which stations are wheelchair accessible, re-routing when lifts are detected as out of service, modelling gradients and terrain steepness. Through the Accelerator, they generously shared lessons learnt in their international growth journey with early-stage teams, the challenges of supporting global operations and key tips for App positioning.
LendAHand by FutureGov - the Australian team revealed their micro-volunteering platform, designed to match willing commuters with other travellers to address the challenges of using public transport. Their approach makes it easier for Corporate Social Responsibility teams to pair up with Disability Support organisations and provide travel companionship in pre-planned journeys. Their discovery process revealed the impact of emotional elements of journeys as core barriers to public transport - fear, uncertainty, confidence - the team did a great job in communicating these experiences and designing a solution that builds independence through targeted alliances.
SwiftFare - frustrated by the impact of an antiquated paper docket system for users of the Taxi Transport Subsidy Scheme (TTSS) , this tech-savvy team of 2 fast-tracked a solution that fixes a bunch of problems. Travellers in the scheme now have a digital alternative, transforming the travel experience for passengers, drivers and scheme administrators. Travellers with disability, currently forced to use a paper docket system which requires handwritten form completion (imagine doing that if you have poor hand function) are now able to use a smartphone app that lets them book + pay conveniently, with banking grade audit trails and robust fraud-prevention patterns built in.
OrienTrip by AutismCRC - This App represents two years of PhD level research by their concept lead, Mortaza Rezae, into the mobility challenges faced by people on the Autism spectrum. Recognising the distress and anxiety created by transport, this team built on top of an existing trip planning platform to offer a solution that supports pre-trip planning, in-journey updates and self-soothing tips for moments when plans go awry. Whilst designed initially for users on the Autism spectrum, their design patterns and user experience design have a high level of relevance for a much larger audience of travellers on public transport. Mortaza also recently won the Australian round of 2017 Falling Walls Challenge with his focus on the transport challenges of people on the Autism spectrum, so is shortly off to Berlin to pitch their concept in a global challenge.
@Falling_Walls Oz winner @CurtinUni Mortaza Rezae is working 2 improve the lives of people with #autism includ. his lil bro @ScienceChiefAu pic.twitter.com/2mvlzgydaA
— Aust Academy Science (@Science_Academy) September 12, 2017
Each of the cohort now enter into formal pilot project and capital raising stages. Please take the time to engage with their work, understand and communicate the value of their platforms to friend, family, clinicians and consumers. They're designed to make a real difference.
The 10 Week Accelerator experience saw our Founder, Brian Hill, draw on years of blended experience in Digital Strategy, rapid prototyping/hackathon event delivery and clinical practice as an Occupational Therapist. In wrapping up the program, he noted:
The 10 Week Accelerator experience saw our Founder, Brian Hill, draw on years of blended experience in Digital Strategy, rapid prototyping/hackathon event delivery and clinical practice as an Occupational Therapist. In wrapping up the program, he noted:
It's been a real privilege to be asked by Slingshot to run this program as Entrepreneur in Residence - the process of working with each of the teams and their stakeholders has consistently been about delivering technology solutions that have therapeutic impact and commercial viability. I've been focussed on ensuring teams are joining head, heart and hands as they explore the challenges faced by people with a disability in daily travel experiences. We're all delighted by how far they've come, the level of commitment and quality they've shown and how well their efforts were received on DemoDay at Telstra's Customer Insights centre. It's been great to be part of the effort by NSW Government's Innovation team to make it easier for startups to get support and traction with real customers facing very real problems.
It's been great working with Brian Hill from @Slingshotters over the past 10 weeks #AccessibleCities pic.twitter.com/3pBhYknJKJ
— Isabella Wallington (@bellewallington) September 28, 2017
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