Pooja Vishwanathan pitches Braze Mobility, a blind-spot sensor that turns power wheelchairs into smart ones with collision alerts. Twenty percent of power-wheelchair users have major collisions yearly. The company launched in February, sold over 100 units, and counts the VA as its largest customer.
Hi everyone, meet David Watson. David has been using a power wheelchair for many years, but 2 years ago, staff at his long-term care facility were about to take his power wheelchair, his only means of independent mobility, away from him. You see, David needs to drive in a tilted position and often can't see what's around him, so he was having accidents. Staff felt they needed to choose: David's autonomy or the safety of everyone in the home? This is not just David's story. 20% of power wheelchair users experience at least one major collision within a year, and 11% of these users are hospitalized. Accidents like this often lead to embarrassment and even exclusion from the use of power wheelchairs altogether, even when no other alternative for independent mobility exists. I saw this as a violation of a fundamental human right and co-founded Braze Mobility. Our blind spot sensors can be added to any wheelchair, transforming it into a smart wheelchair that provides alerts to the user through intuitive lights, sounds, and vibrations. My name is Pooja Vishwanathan, and I'm the CEO and co-founder of Braze Mobility. I have a PhD in robotics and assistive technology and have been leading smart wheelchair research for over a decade. My co-founder, Dr. Alex Mihailidis, is a world leader in aging and technology. My team has expertise in customer experience, caregiving, design and manufacturing, and over 25 years of experience in the complex rehab industry with 2 successful exits. We have wheelchair users on our team who drive our innovation forward. Pun intended. The mobility aids market is $1.14 billion, and our entrance market is over 3.7 million wheelchair users, up to 91% of whom can benefit from smart wheelchairs, according to researchers at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. We launched commercially last February and have sold over 100 units, generating more than $100,000 in revenue. With our largest customer being the US Department of Veterans Affairs. We've also set ourselves up for growth outside the VA by partnering with some of the largest dealers in the US and Canada, giving us access to over 70% market share and over 700 reps across the country. We're also currently negotiating with a leading wheelchair manufacturer for an OEM agreement, which will increase our revenue by 8x. As for David, This is him a few months ago, still driving his powered wheelchair. With our blindspot sensors, David has independent mobility and dignity. Staff can support his autonomy without compromising on safety. David's friend and advocate has peace of mind because at Braze, we believe that mobility is a fundamental human right, not a privilege. Braze Mobility. Navigate fully, independently, and safely.
