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.
Rent the Backyard will build a studio apartment in your backyard, splitting the rental profits with you 50/50. Intrigued?
Revive was created to bring new life to coffee waste, collecting and recycling used coffee grounds to create a palm oil alternative!
Chilled beers, wines and spirits delivered in one hour, thanks to Edinburgh-based startup Drinkly.
Bubblebum has had its flagship product named as one of the Most Innovative and Most Attractive at the Child Baby & Maternity Expo in China.
Influencer marketing remains largely unchartered territory for many businesses, so here are some tips for getting it right on the first go.
Step forward Raise Accelerator, Northern Ireland's first privately-run startup accelerator. We chatted to three founders from their first cohort.
Rich Maaghul, CEO of ODEM.io explores the future of education and how disruption will transform the way that we learn...
The app that helps you achieve your goal body with easy to follow workouts for the gym or home.
The London based startup that has safer home care provision as its mission
The ethical rewards app Koin Rewards, reimagining loyalty through responsible shopping and tokenisation.
Published on: 14th November 2017
If you would like to enable commenting via your Startacus account, please enable Disqus functionality in your Account Settings.
- IAG’s Hangar 51 takes flight with latest innovation programme 31st Jul 2019 The latest Hangar 51 innovation programme is on the hunt for tech startups with a broad range of aviation industry solutions.
- 10 FMCG startups selected for first Seedrs accelerator 24th Jul 2019 10 FMCG startups selected for the 1st Seedrs FMCG accelerator, which aims to help FMCG startups raise capital on the platform
- Startup Leadership Program invites applications for its 9th London cohort 12th Jul 2019 The Startup Leadership Program continues to grow, inviting applications for its 9th London cohort to join the six-month program.
- Latest Zinc Company Builder Programme to transform the quality of later life 9th Jul 2019 Do you want to build a new purpose-driven startup with support from a world-class network of experts?
