In this dynamic episode of Investing in Accessibility, Host Kelvin Crosby introduces a special panel session from the Wawability 2025 Summit, celebrating 35 years of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Titled “Design, Capital, and Impact: The Future of Disability Startups,” the panel is moderated by Co-Host Chris Maher and features three visionary disability tech entrepreneurs:

• Tomer Aharoni – Co-founder & CEO of Nagish, building accessible communication tools for the deaf and hard of hearing.
• Michael Bervell – Co-founder & CEO of TestParty, an AI-powered platform that automates digital accessibility.
• Diego Mariscal – Founder & CEO of 2Gether-International, the largest accelerator supporting disabled entrepreneurs.

Together, they explore:

• Disability as a competitive advantage — How lived experience fosters innovation, resilience, and problem-solving.
• Universal design and market potential — Why accessibility-focused products often lead to better solutions for everyone.
• Navigating regulation — From hacking policy to leveraging new global legislation like the European Accessibility Act.
• Raising capital — Honest reflections on pitching to investors, building trust, and proving the business case for accessibility.
• The power of mentorship and accelerators — How early guidance and ecosystem support helped launch and scale their missions.

The episode closes with an inspiring look toward the future: the panelists share why they're optimistic about accessibility, innovation, and the opportunity to create a world that is not just better for some of us, but for all of us.

Links & Resources:

Video Version with ASL Interpreter: Watch Here

Wawability 2025: Website

Tomer Aharoni: LinkedIn and Company Website

Michael Bervell: LinkedIn and Company Website

Diego Mariscal: LinkedIn and Company Website

COMING SOON!

American Sign Language (ASL) and Captioning for each episode will be provided on our YouTube channel. Go to handle @SamaritanPartners.