What Designability does

Designability is a UK-registered charity (Charity No. 256335) founded in 1968 and headquartered at the Wolfson Centre, Royal United Hospital, Bath. It designs and delivers assistive products and services with and for disabled people, using a person-centred co-design methodology that embeds lived experience throughout the product development lifecycle. The organisation operates with 11–50 staff and manufactures its products in Bath.

The charity's product portfolio is anchored by two physical assistive devices: the Wizzybug, a powered wheelchair for children aged 14 months to around 5 years (max 20kg) provided free to UK families through a loan scheme with handover locations in Bath, Leeds and Northern Ireland; and the Accessible Pushchair, an innovative design that replaces the rear wheel/footbrake assembly of a conventional pushchair to make it compatible with manual wheelchairs, developed in partnership with Mamas & Papas and planned for retail sale at approximately £699. Beyond products, Designability runs the National Centre for Accessible Transport (ncat), a £20 million Motability Foundation-funded research consortium, and provides open-source design guidance that informed the BSI PAS 1899:2022 accessible EV charging standard.

Designability's revenue model is dominated by voluntary donations and grants (with 86p of every £1 going directly to charitable activities), supplemented by planned hardware sales of the Accessible Pushchair. The Wizzybug loan scheme costs £6,000 per unit across its full lifecycle, including refurbishment and re-loaning. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer through online/paper applications reviewed by an in-house clinical team, supplemented by a partner distribution model via Mae Murray Foundation in Northern Ireland and partnership-driven research programmes with national funders including The National Lottery Community Fund (covering at least 540 children over three years).

Name

Designability

Legal name

Designability Charity Ltd

Website

https://designability.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Designability is a UK charity founded in 1968 that designs and delivers assistive products and services with and for disabled people, anchored by the free Wizzybug powered wheelchair loan scheme for children under five and the patented Accessible Pushchair for manual wheelchair users.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Assistive Mobility Products

NAICS

Industrial Design Services (54142), Industrial Design Services (541420)

SIC

Orthopedic, Prosthetic & Surgical Appliances & Supplies (3842)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech) (BPAGALAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Accessibility & Assistive Learning Tools for Early Childhood (AAC, sensory supports) (EDACANAL), Accessibility & Universal Design Consulting (HSABAJAB), Accessibility & Special Needs Equipment (Assistive Devices, Adaptive Furniture, Sensory Rooms) (EDAEAIAM), Pediatric Rehabilitation & Mobility DME (Adaptive Seating, Pediatric Mobility) (HLAHAMAI)

Keywords

• Assistive technology products
• Powered wheelchairs
• Accessible pushchairs
• Disability design services
• Inclusive mobility aids

Headquarters

HQ city

Royal

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Giving: Designability operates primarily as a charity relying on voluntary donations from individuals, trusts, and foundations. Last year, 86p of every £1 donated went directly to charitable activities. The organization receives no statutory funding for the Wizzybug Loan Scheme.
2. Accessible Pushchair Sales: Plans to sell the Accessible Pushchair at approximately £699 per unit, similar to non-accessible pushchairs on the market. This will include parts and labour to adapt rear wheels and braking system.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Designability is a UK charity that uses person-centred co-design methodologies to create assistive products with and for disabled people. Its core offerings include the Wizzybug powered wheelchair for young disabled children (provided free through a loan scheme) and the Accessible Pushchair for manual wheelchair users, along with open-source design guidance for accessible EV charging infrastructure and inclusive transport research initiatives.

Product overview

Designability is a UK charity that uses person-centred design to create products and services with and for disabled people. Their portfolio consists primarily of physical assistive products: the Wizzybug powered wheelchair (a free loan scheme for children under 5) and the Accessible Pushchair (the world's first accessible pushchair for manual wheelchair users). They also provide open-source design guidance for Accessible EV Charging and operate research initiatives including the Accessible Vehicle Design project and the National Centre for Accessible Transport (ncat). The Unfair Index is their research study identifying barriers disabled people face in everyday life. The organization works collaboratively with disabled people, industry partners (including Mamas and Papas), and funding bodies (Motability Foundation, National Lottery Community Fund) to develop and deliver inclusive design solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Wizzybug: A powered wheelchair for young disabled children under 5, provided free of charge through a loan scheme for children aged 14 months to around 5 years.

Products and services

• Wizzybug Powered Wheelchair A powered wheelchair designed for young disabled children aged 14 months to around 5 years (maximum weight 20kg), featuring joystick control suitable for young children. Enables independent mobility, play and development for children with conditions affecting their ability to walk.
• Accessible Pushchair The world's first accessible pushchair for manual wheelchair users. Features a patented rear wheel/footbrake assembly design that turns any conventional pushchair into an accessible pushchair compatible with manual wheelchairs. Targeted at disabled parents and carers, with planned retail price of approximately £699.
• Accessible EV Charging Design Guidance Free, open-source design guidance for accessible public electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Developed in partnership with Motability Foundation and informed the BSI PAS 1899:2022 standard for accessible EV charging, helping industry meet accessibility standards.
• National Centre for Accessible Transport (ncat) A £20 million project funded by Motability Foundation working in collaboration with RiDC, Connected Places Catapult, Policy Connect and WSP. Mission is to make transport accessible for all by engaging disabled people to co-design solutions and influence policy.
• Accessible Vehicle Design Research project funded by Motability Foundation exploring how vehicle design could be improved to make cars more accessible for disabled people. Engages with disabled drivers, passengers and industry to create design recommendations.
• The Unfair Index A UK-wide research study identifying where everyday life is most unfair for disabled people and where change is most urgently needed. Uses surveys shaped by Lived Experience Advisors to measure and understand barriers, with findings to be released in Summer 2026.
• Wizzybug Loan Scheme Free loan scheme providing Wizzybug powered wheelchairs to families across the UK. Fully funded by voluntary donations, with handover locations in Bath, Leeds and Northern Ireland (in partnership with Mae Murray Foundation). Each Wizzybug costs £6,000 for the full lifecycle including parts, materials, maintenance, clinical team support, travel and transportation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,500 families helped through Wizzybug scheme
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Mamas & PapascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with leading UK pushchair manufacturer Mamas & Papas to ensure the accessible pushchair complies with British Safety Standards (BS EN 1888). Mamas & Papas provided pushchairs for the trial program with 20 families.
• National Centre for Accessible Transport (ncat) PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesignability is working in collaboration with RiDC, Connected Places Catapult, Policy Connect and WSP on the £20 million ncat project to make transport accessible for all. Motability Foundation is the funder.
• Research Institute for Disabled Consumers (RiDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner for accessible vehicle design project, conducting survey with disabled people on behalf of Designability.
• Mae Murray FoundationcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner organization in Northern Ireland that carries out Wizzybug handovers on behalf of Designability. Mae Murray Foundation performs handovers in Northern Ireland.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Whizz-Kidz: UK charity providing powered and manual wheelchairs to disabled children, operating a wheelchair service and accessories program comparable to Designability's Wizzybug Loan Scheme. Operates exclusively in the UK with a similar donation-funded model and comparable end-user segment of disabled children and families.
• Newlife Foundation: UK charity providing equipment grants to disabled children and operating the UK's only dedicated disability equipment helpline, plus a nurse-led service. Comparable donation-funded, equipment-provision model targeting families of disabled children across the UK.
• Remap: UK volunteer-based charity that custom-designs and builds bespoke assistive devices for disabled people. Shares Designability's person-centred, co-design engineering approach and produces one-off to small-batch physical assistive products rather than mass-manufactured devices.
• MERU (Medical Equipment Resource Unit): UK charity that designs and makes custom assistive equipment for disabled children, including postural seating and bespoke mobility solutions. Mirrors Designability's product-design-for-individuals model and target demographic of disabled children.

Broad incumbents

• Convaid (R82): Manufacturer of pediatric adaptive strollers, wheelchairs, and pushchairs for children with special needs. Directly comparable to Designability's accessible pushchair and Wizzybug product categories, but as a commercial manufacturer serving a global market rather than a UK charity.
• Sunrise Medical: Global manufacturer of manual and powered wheelchairs including pediatric ranges such as the Zippie and powered mobility products. Overlaps with Designability's Wizzybug in the pediatric powered mobility category but operates commercially at scale rather than as a charity.

Emerging players

• AbilityNet: UK charity focused on digital accessibility for disabled people, providing advice, training, and product testing. Operates in the same disability-inclusion mission space as Designability but focuses on digital/IT accessibility rather than physical assistive products.
• Permobil Foundation: US-based philanthropic arm of Permobil, a global wheelchair manufacturer, funding pediatric mobility and seating initiatives for disabled children. Comparable target demographic of disabled children needing mobility devices, with complementary donation-funded model paired with commercial manufacturing.
• Center for Inclusive Design and Innovation: University-hosted US program developing assistive technology and inclusive design research, including digital accessibility tools and physical product design. Shares Designability's co-design, person-centred design ethos and academic-industry partnership approach.

Regional players

• HabITec: Australian assistive technology and inclusive design hub providing assessment, design, and prototyping of disability solutions. Operates in the same inclusive-design-for-disability mission space as Designability but serves the Australian market rather than UK.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/designabilityuk
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@designability1968
• Facebookfacebook.com/DesignabilityUK
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/designabilityuk
• Instagraminstagram.com/designabilityuk

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Designability