On May 11th, Illimitable partnered with General Assembly to host the last installment of our inaugural technology summit, Illimitable 2019. The community meet-up, which was held at the historic Ponce City Market, attracted advocates, students, and professionals from diverse backgrounds for an open dialogue about accessibility in the Atlanta community. During the lunch and learn, two local startups, Zyrobotics and iAccess Innovations, discussed their journey, pitched groundbreaking technologies, and shared valuable insights into disability inclusion.
iAccess Innovations
iAccess Innovations, co-founded by Brandon Winfield and Sayeed Mehrjerdian, developed a crowd sourcing lifestyle application that allows users with mobility impairments to rate and review the accessibility of public venues and establishments. The app empowers users to “know before they go” and feel confident making plans with their friends, colleagues, and loved ones.
Meet the Speaker: Brandon Winfield
In 2008, at the age of 14, Brandon was injured in a motocross accident that left him paralyzed from the waist down. After this dramatic event, he continued his love for racing in the form of four wheels, entered sprint kart racing, and won numerous events. He also continued to travel the country with his best friends, spending time in Southern California, Vegas, Miami, Tampa, Orlando, and other locations. While on his adventures he realized that although most places he visited were A.D.A (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant, many areas were grandfathered in and never forced to retrofit to accommodate the mobility impaired. As the Chief Executive Officer of iAccess Innovations, Brandon aims to empower users with mobility impairments to seek new adventures with confidence.
Get Involved with iAccess
Interested in supporting iAccess Innovations?
- Download the iAccess mobile app on your smartphone
- Vote for iAccess to pitch at the Founder Institute’s Pitch for Purpose Competition
- Apply to be an iAccess Brand Ambassador for your city
- Connect with iAccess on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn
- Email Brandon for partnership inquiries
Zyrobotics
Zyrobotics, LLC, founded in 2013 by roboticist Dr. Ayanna Howard, is an award-winning creator of AI-powered STEM tools and learning games for early childhood education. By creating personalized and inclusive technologies, their mission is to make the world a more accessible place for all children, especially those with motor skill challenges and other accessibility needs.
Meet the Speaker: Dr. Johnetta MacCalla
Dr. MacCalla is an executive with over 30 years involvement in outreach programs involving elementary, high school, and college students interested in science and technology. She is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Zyrobotics, LLC.
Prior to Zyrobotics, she was the CEO of Automated Switching and Controls Inc., a communications & controls company with over $8M in annual contracts with city & state transit. Before that Dr MacCalla was President of Advanced Systems Concepts Inc., overseeing approximately $3M in DOD contracts for military communications and control systems. As Chairman of the LA Metropolitan Transit Authority Foundation she managed their $100M endowment, and was a board member of the California High Speed Rail Commission. She is a member of the California S&T Policy Fellowship Review Board. Dr. MacCalla has degrees from Brown University, Stanford University and a Ph.D. from the University of Southern California.
Get Involved with Zyrobotics
Interested in supporting Zyrobotics?
- Visit Zyrobotics’ online shop for the latest technology releases
- Email Dr. MacCalla for partnership inquiries
- Connect with Zyrobotics on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube
About Illimitable 2019
Illimitable 2019 is a technology summit that focuses on design as a gateway to more accessible, inclusive, and equitable communities. We welcome you to stay engaged with us by signing up for email alerts on our website and connecting with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Stay tuned for more posts, insights, and media from the inaugural events.
Many thanks to our attendees, organizing committee, volunteers, partners, and supporters: Wireless RERC, Design Bloc, Georgia Tech Excel, the Jane Goodall Institute, the Center for Leadership in Disability, the Bobby Dodd Institute, the Fund II Foundation, and the Atlanta Autism Consortium.