StairMaster Wheelchair
StairMaster Wheelchair is a pre-revenue, founder-operated medical device company developing a patented battery-powered, spider-wheel stair-climbing wheelchair for home use by wheelchair users; the prototype awaits FDA premarket approval before any sales can begin.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1981
- HeadquartersArlington, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What StairMaster Wheelchair does
StairMaster Wheelchair is a privately-held, pre-revenue medical device company developing a single product: a battery-powered stair-climbing wheelchair designed for home use. Founded in 1981 by Ken Cox, a retired landing gear design engineer with 41+ years of mechanical engineering experience and a registered PE in Texas, the company remains a sole-proprietor operation with no employees. The target customer is a wheelchair user who needs to navigate multi-level homes with stairs, steps, narrow doorways, and slopes — environments where conventional powered wheelchairs cannot operate. The company identifies its primary use case as a direct replacement for an ordinary powered wheelchair with significantly improved access to homes.
The company's core technology is a proprietary spider-wheel mechanism paired with a sensor-based control system that detects stairs and slopes, allowing the wheelchair to climb stairs without handrails or attendant assistance. Key technical features include self-balancing with automatic lock-up if power is lost, joystick-controlled speed and direction, adaptive control that selects operation phases (leveling, skid extension, spider rotation, wheel drive) automatically, a 22-inch width that turns about its own center to navigate narrow doorways, and compatibility with complex rehab technology (CRT) controls and seating options. Two US patents protect the technology: US Patent 4,512,488 (the manually powered demonstrator) and US Patent 6,484,829 (the battery-powered design). The product is currently a prototype and has not received FDA premarket approval, which the company states is a prerequisite for any commercial sales.
The business model is one-time hardware sales of a single SKU to a vertical segment of end users. The company has not yet established distribution channels, pricing, or commercial partnerships; the only documented external support is a Phase I NIH SBIR grant awarded in 1986 and a technical paper presented at the 2014 RESNA conference. The current go-to-market consists of a website, a Facebook page, and a survey-based mechanism intended to capture potential customer interest and demonstrate demand to investors and grant providers. Cox is actively soliciting additional funding from investors and research grants to advance the product through FDA approval and into production.
StairMaster Wheelchair firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- StairMaster Wheelchair
- Legal name
- StairMaster Wheelchair
- Website
- https://stairmasterwheelchair.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1981
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- StairMaster Wheelchair is a pre-revenue, founder-operated medical device company developing a patented battery-powered, spider-wheel stair-climbing wheelchair for home use by wheelchair users; the prototype awaits FDA premarket approval before any sales can begin.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
StairMaster Wheelchair industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Assistive Mobility Devices
- NAICS
- Electromedical and Electrotherapeutic Apparatus Manufacturing (334510)
- SIC
- Orthopedic, Prosthetic & Surgical Appliances & Supplies (3842)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Mobility Aids (Wheelchairs, Scooters, Walkers, Canes) (HLAHAMAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Home Mobility & Accessibility Equipment (Ramps, Stair Lifts, Transfer Aids) (HSABAKAB)
Keywords
Where StairMaster Wheelchair is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Arlington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
StairMaster Wheelchair business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Operations, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Hardware Sales: The company plans to sell the StairMaster Wheelchair as a physical product. The wheelchair is intended to replace an ordinary wheelchair with significantly improved access to homes. Revenue will be generated through one-time hardware sales after FDA premarket approval is granted. The company is not yet on the market.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Marketing channels3 records
StairMaster Wheelchair product offering
Product offeringCore offering
StairMaster Wheelchair is developing a battery-powered stair-climbing wheelchair designed for home use by individual wheelchair users. The wheelchair uses a proprietary spider wheel mechanism and sensor-based control system to climb stairs without handrails or attendant assistance, navigate slopes and driveways, and operate in compact 22-inch-wide spaces. The product is currently in prototype stage and not yet on the market, with sales contingent on FDA premarket approval.
Product overview
The StairMaster Wheelchair is a single, unified product offering: a battery-powered stair-climbing wheelchair (the StairMaster Wheelchair™) that provides enhanced mobility for wheelchair users. The wheelchair is not yet on the market and requires FDA premarket approval before sales can begin. It combines level ground operation, stair-climbing, and slope-climbing capabilities in one device, with the control system automatically selecting the correct operation phase based on sensors. The product accommodates complex rehab technology (CRT) controls and seating options.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- StairMaster Wheelchair
Companies that use StairMaster Wheelchair
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
StairMaster Wheelchair technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
StairMaster Wheelchair partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
StairMaster Wheelchair competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- WHILL: Maker of premium powered wheelchairs with advanced controls and indoor/outdoor usability; overlaps with StairMaster on powered-mobility target users but does not currently climb stairs.
Broad incumbents
- Sunrise Medical (Quickie): Broad power and manual wheelchair manufacturer behind the Quickie brand; serves the same CRT customer base as StairMaster but across a much wider product portfolio without stair climbing.
- Permobil: Global leader in complex rehab technology (CRT) power wheelchairs; addresses the same end user with seating and controls but offers no integrated stair-climbing capability.
- Drive DeVilbiss Healthcare: Broad distributor and manufacturer of mobility products including power wheelchairs and home accessibility equipment; relevant as a potential distribution or acquisition counterpart for StairMaster.
- Invacare: Long-standing US maker of manual and power wheelchairs and home medical equipment; serves overlapping customers in the rehab mobility category without a stair-climbing product.
- Pride Mobility (Quantum/Jazzy): Large US manufacturer of power chairs (Jazzy, Quantum) for consumer and clinical markets; overlaps with StairMaster's end users but focuses on level-ground mobility, not stair navigation.
Direct peers
- Scewo: Swiss developer of a powered stair-climbing wheelchair with self-balancing technology and joystick control; the closest direct competitor to StairMaster on product architecture and target use case.
- Mobius Mobility (iBOT): US-based maker of the multi-mode iBOT wheelchair, which combines level operation, stair climbing, and 4-wheel balance; addresses the same home-accessibility use case with FDA-cleared hardware.
- TopChair-S: French maker of the TopChair-S powered stair-climbing wheelchair; directly comparable as a competing stair-climbing wheelchair targeting users with limited home mobility.
Regional players
- Etac (Mobeli): European-based supplier of manual wheelchairs and home accessibility products; comparable as a regional player addressing the same home-mobility use cases, primarily outside the US.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
StairMaster Wheelchair social profiles
Digital presenceStairMaster Wheelchair financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
StairMaster Wheelchair leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
StairMaster Wheelchair funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
StairMaster Wheelchair M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about StairMaster Wheelchair
What does StairMaster Wheelchair do?
StairMaster Wheelchair is developing a battery-powered stair-climbing wheelchair designed for home use by individual wheelchair users. The wheelchair uses a proprietary spider wheel mechanism and sensor-based control system to climb stairs without handrails or attendant assistance, navigate slopes and driveways, and operate in compact 22-inch-wide spaces. The product is currently in prototype stage and not yet on the market, with sales contingent on FDA premarket approval.
Is StairMaster Wheelchair a public or private company?
StairMaster Wheelchair is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was StairMaster Wheelchair founded?
StairMaster Wheelchair was founded in 1981. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is StairMaster Wheelchair based?
StairMaster Wheelchair is headquartered in Arlington, United States, in the North America region.
How does StairMaster Wheelchair make money?
One revenue line is on record: hardware Sales.
Who are StairMaster Wheelchair's main competitors?
WHILL is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Sunrise Medical (Quickie), Permobil, Drive DeVilbiss Healthcare, Invacare and Pride Mobility (Quantum/Jazzy). Direct peers are Scewo, Mobius Mobility (iBOT) and TopChair-S. Etac (Mobeli) is listed as a regional player.
Does StairMaster Wheelchair have an API?
No public API is recorded for StairMaster Wheelchair.
What industry is StairMaster Wheelchair in?
StairMaster Wheelchair's product category is Assistive Mobility Devices. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAHAMAA, Mobility Aids (Wheelchairs, Scooters, Walkers, Canes), with a secondary code of HSABAKAB, Home Mobility & Accessibility Equipment (Ramps, Stair Lifts, Transfer Aids). Its NAICS code is 334510 and its SIC code is 3842.