2Gether-International

Disabled founders join 2Gether-International's accelerator to secure mentorship and investor interest that bakes accessibility into new startups.

ENABLE Model location

• Builder-side Interventions → Set Requirements that Include Accessibility

What It Is

Disabled founders join 2Gether's accelerator program to secure mentorship and investor interest. This participation helps founders embed accessibility into new startups from the conceptual stage. People use the accelerator to establish accessibility as a core element of their business model, ensuring inclusion is addressed proactively in their new ventures.

Why It Matters

Setting requirements is categorized as the first and most fundamental act of care in the ENABLE Model. It defines accessibility as a core obligation rather than a discretionary add-on. When founders work through accelerators like this, they mandate inclusion from the outset, which prevents exclusion from being baked into the infrastructure of their products and services. This strategic intervention, similar to how Enable Ventures operates, shifts disability considerations upstream into product roadmaps and hiring plans. Without codified expectations around accessibility established during this stage, subsequent actions in design, development, and testing lack structure, resulting in neglect that multiplies the burden placed downstream on end-users.

Real-world example

Disabled founders join the accelerator to secure capital and mentorship that explicitly requires them to adhere to inclusion metrics from day one. For example, these founders ensure their product’s definition of done aligns with accessibility standards, or they incorporate WCAG compliance mandates into their contracts with future design or development vendors before the product is even built. This commitment helps ensure that accessibility goals and disability employment are a core obligation for the startup.

What care sounds like (builder-side interventions)

Care focuses on builder-side interventions, primarily setting requirements:

• "We are baking accessibility into our definition of done for all features before we write any code."
• "We must write procurement language that makes accessibility non-negotiable for all service providers we hire."
• "Before securing investment, we must confirm that this business plan includes disability hiring and accessibility milestones as a core obligation."

What neglect sounds like (builder-side interventions)

Neglect is demonstrated when builders fail to set requirements in the early stages:

• "Accessibility is not a deliverable for our Minimum Viable Product (MVP)."
• "It's not legally required for our sector yet, so we'll add it later if we have time."
• "We are assuming all users will interact with the system using standard input methods only, which is fine for now."

What compensation sounds like (navigator-side compensations)

When the early care fostered by accelerators like 2gether International is absent, users resort to navigator-side compensations to gain access:

• "I use a screen reader, but this new application has unlabeled buttons everywhere, so I have to guess." This is an instance of using assistive technologies. These tools, such as screen readers, provide a robust and often complex interface that enables individuals with visual impairments to perceive and interact with digital content, offering a crucial pathway to participation despite a neglectful environment. But they can only work as well as the tools they're using are built.
• "My entire team uses the new company portal, but I rely on peer support to access my benefits information because the online system is unusable for me." This demonstrates reliance on human help. Having a colleague or aide assist provides immediate access and successfully completes the critical task (like accessing benefits), leveraging social connections to overcome the barrier that would otherwise lead to complete exclusion.
• "I had to find a different vendor that was designed with inclusive features because the startup's platform was impossible to navigate." This is an example of switching to an alternative. Switching allows the user to successfully acquire necessary services or products when the structural failure of the original system makes access an impossibility, reflecting an act of survival and maintaining autonomy. However, there aren't always complete alternatives, and even switching carries its costs.