Izzy Wheels - they're "re-inventing the wheel"
by Startacus Admin
People like to customise things - to put a personal touch on them. From flames or stripes down the side of your car (which make it go faster, obviously) to pink fuzzy dice hanging on the mirror; from plastering the underside of your skateboard with stickers and cutouts of Hulk to...whatever the hip young people do with hoverboards these days; from sticking a playing card through the spokes of your bike wheel to...tassles?
Around 2.2 million people in the US are wheelchair users, and around 800,000 people in the UK need a wheelchair on a permanent basis. That’s a lot more time spent in a wheelchair than anyone spends on their totally radical skateboard (we’re confident our groovy lingo is current), so why not give that set of wheels a personal touch?
Izzy Wheels is an Irish startup run by two sisters, Izzy and Ailbhe. In her final year of art college, Ailbhe began a project to ‘Empower the lives of people living with a long-term health condition’. In this project, she created arty, stylish wheel covers for her sister’s wheelchair. Born with Spina Bifida, Izzy is a permanent wheelchair user, and had always been frustrated by the lack of ways she could personalise her wheelchair, and so Ailbhe both solved this problem for her sister and birthed a business named after her in one.
The designs for the wheel covers are created by top artists and designers who can send in their portfolio to Izzy Wheels every few months. Customers can also arrange to have their own pictures on the covers, which are waterproof and scratch- and fade-resistant.
Back in April the sisters won this year’s Accenture Leaders of Tomorrow competition - a competition that aims to nurture and develop innovative ideas that could have a positive impact on society.
And just last month, Izzy Wheels took home the Audience Vote in the 2017 NDRC Investor Day, proving just how highly valued this young startup is by the people themselves.
We look forward to reporting back on this fab Irish startup as their business further develops. We like it a lot.
Subscribe to our newsletter
If you would like to receive our startup themed newsletter, full of the latest startup opportunities, events, news, stories, tips and advice, then sign up here.Got a business in the manufacturing sector? These tips on how you can reduce energy costs while being more sustainable are well worth a read...
Innovative InsurTech startup SureIn announces a €4M Seed round to further its mission of making insurance easy, transparent and hassle-free for SMBs.
Nassia Skoulikariti, Director of IoT Programmes, Mobile Ecosystem Forum shares some insights on how IoT is having a significant impact on all our lives.
Roger James Hamilton, Founder and CEO of Genius Group, a world-leading entrepreneur Edtech and education group, discusses how introducing a globalized curriculum will help better prepare students.
SuperFi, the debt prevention platform, has announced a $1m pre-seed funding round to support people during the cost of living crisis.
41 startups from 13 countries, including the UK, have been selected for the 8th Kickstart Innovation program, one of Europe’s leading innovation platforms.
Personal training platform Another Round has secured £300k in its latest fundraise, including investment from angels and its community.
Thingtrax Secures £4.3M to Empower Manufacturers to Build the Factories of the Future
A measure of inflation relief for small firms sees transport costs fall but service price increases remain elevated
Bedfordshire-based HR tech startup HR DataHub has built a range of tools for HR departments
Published on: 14th November 2017
If you would like to enable commenting via your Startacus account, please enable Disqus functionality in your Account Settings.
- SureIn Secures €4M to Close the SMB Insurance Gap 15th Aug 2023 Innovative InsurTech startup SureIn announces a €4M Seed round to further its mission of making insurance easy, transparent and hassle-free for SMBs.
- SuperFi raises $1M pre-seed funding round 28th Jul 2023 SuperFi, the debt prevention platform, has announced a $1m pre-seed funding round to support people during the cost of living crisis.
- Startups rely on AI & sustainability for new partnerships 27th Jul 2023 41 startups from 13 countries, including the UK, have been selected for the 8th Kickstart Innovation program, one of Europe’s leading innovation platforms.
- Another Round closes £300k Seed round to revolutionise personal training 21st Jul 2023 Personal training platform Another Round has secured £300k in its latest fundraise, including investment from angels and its community.