DisabilityTech is a market that encompasses technology solutions built for people with disabilities, including assistive technology, medical devices, and tools for social, educational, and economic access. The Howe Innovation Center at the Perkins School for the Blind is researching the DisabilityTech market, including assessments of companies, investors, geographic reach, and more. Our initial database has over 750+ companies building products or services specifically for people with disabilities. The following visualizations, created in partnership with the Olin College of Engineering and Perkins Access, give a broad overview of the state of the DisabilityTech market. They include geographic visualizations of companies worldwide and in the United States, breakdowns of the end uses and sectors within the DisabilityTech market, and a timeline of company formation.
This map displays the number of DisabilityTech startups in each country globally. leads in the number of companies innovating in the DisabilityTech space, with companies. Second is with companies, then with . Worldwide, roughly 46.4% of all companies are located in North America, with Europe coming second with 23.9%, and Asia third with 20.1%. Although the United States is the biggest player in the DisabilityTech market, there are similarly strong presences in Europe and Asia, indicating that the DisabilityTech market is a global one.
This map displays the number of DisabilityTech startups in the United States by state. has the most DisabilityTech companies with while is second with companies.
A line chart showing the number of DisabilityTech companies founded over time. The number of DisabilityTech companies being founded has generally increased year over year with the most DisabilityTech companies being founded in .
The Howe Innovation Center has identified four main end-user groups for DisabilityTech: Products that serve those with visual disabilities, auditory disabilities, physical disabilities (Mobility), and neurocognitive disabilities. Our research has uncovered 750+ companies serving these four communities. The largest group is companies in the space, which account for total companies, encompassing % of all DisabilityTech companies we have identified so far.
We categorized companies in four different product categories: consumer devices, medical devices, digital products, and service-based solutions.
Each of these product types are further broken down into subcategories, such as wearables, prosthetics, mobile apps, and educational services.
Products are not mutually exclusive, so a company can be in multiple product categories. For example, a company may produce a product that is both a consumer device and a service-based solution.
Likewise, a company may produce a product within two subcategories of the same product category. For example, a company may produce both a wearable and a handheld device.
For the purposes of this analysis, companies within two different products are counted in both and companies with two subcategories are counted in a "multiple" product within each product category.
The largest product type overall is with companies, or % of all DisabilityTech companies.
The largest subcategory is in the category with companies.
Companies are also categorized based on their function within the DisabilityTech space. These include navigation, communication, interaction, access to services, and diagnosis & treatment.
These functions are broken into subfunctions such as wayfinding, AAC, dexterity, etc.
These functions and subfunctions, like products, are not mutually exclusive. For example, a company may produce a product that both helps with navigation and communication. We have taken the same approach to categorizing functions as we have with products.
The largest function overall is with companies, or % of all DisabilityTech companies.
The largest subfunction is in the function with companies.
The technologies used by companies in the DisabilityTech are broken down into communication protocols, algorithms, sensors, user interfaces, robotics, and advanced manufacturing and materials. These technologies each contain subtechnologies, such as Bluetooth, machine learning, and haptic feedback. This data allows us to track the technological landscape of the DisabilityTech market and better understand what technologies are being leveraged to help people with disabilities. The largest technology is with companies, or % of all DisabilityTech companies.