Red Cross to help develop products for special needs

Bengaluru: Global humanitarian agency International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is tying up with multiple organisations such as Bengalurubased industry lobby group IoTBLR and Workbench Projects to launch a platform to encourage maker communities across the country to develop products and solutions for differently-abled persons, particularly in remote areas of countries. Called Enable Makeathon, the two-month programme will entail a series of rounds. The first month will involve educating applicants on the topic of physical disability, its challenges and how to address these challenges, followed by a hackathon, where the top ideas and teams will be selected to be advised on the steps to make a good business plan and the importance of design. The teams will be connected with investors, incubators, VC firms, non governmental organisations and other members of the startup ecosystem.

“The idea is to open up the sector as a whole to bring in investment, and we saw that India would be a great place because there is a huge disability issue here,“ said Tarun Sarwal, head of innovation, ICRC, who went on to say that the committee will create a small group of mentors for the makers, and hopes to invite investors and manufacturing companies to pledge some money into the ideas.