Meet the Winners of the 2023 MaRS & CIBC Inclusive Design Challenge

For the third year in a row, Access to Success is proud to have partnered with the MaRS Discovery District and CIBC to support the winners of the Inclusive Design Challenge. This time, the innovation challenge sought solutions to support inclusive work environments and career advancement for persons with disabilities. Winners of the Challenge have already begun receiving support from ATS Labs, our accelerator for accessibility startups. These winners are building promising new innovations — but don’t take our word for it, learn more about each of them in their own words below!

1. Skill Squirrel

Founder: Kathleen Webb

What does your organization do? Who benefits from your work?

Skill Squirrel offers a unique cloud-based community hub designed to assist individuals in career transitions. Unlike traditional job marketplaces, we focus on skill development and endorsements, enabling users to showcase their abilities effectively. This verifiable proof of competence enhances their chances of passing screening processes and securing job interviews.

However, our platform isn’t limited to job seekers; it also aids those seeking flexible work arrangements. As the demand for flexible schedules grows, Skill Squirrel provides an affordable means to manage and validate skills.

Skill Squirrel empowers users to curate their experience, focusing on credential earning opportunities aligned with their needs, like those suited to youth or persons with disabilities.

Let’s hear your origin story! How did you get into this work?

I worked within government, academia, and industry associations to support entrepreneurs, conduct market research, and facilitate research and development collaborations. There are a lot of gatekeepers that can negatively impact productivity, which motivated me to create a system that would allow people to find the resources they need when they need them to improve productivity in our innovation ecosystem.

What are your future plans with the organization? How can someone reading this post help?

Our product is now fully ready for use by organizations that care about diversity, equity, and inclusion and are willing to act by listing their on-the-job training, work integrated learning, advisory services and mentorship programs on Skill Squirrel. If this sounds like a fit with your organization’s needs, please send an email to sales@skillsquirrel.com to schedule a demo and talk about how Skill Squirrel may be of service.

2. Breen & Associates Consulting

Founder: Dr. Jon Breen

What does your organization do? Who benefits from your work?

Breen & Associates Consulting provides a range of services — including training, policy development, and organizational review — within the context of disability and employment. All of our work is intended to enhance employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

Let’s hear your origin story! How did you get into this work?

I’m someone who has lived with a lifelong disability and began my career as a manufacturer of medical equipment. During that period, I decided to hire only people with disabilities. These individuals included a deaf salesperson, a blind lathe operator, and a factory worker with virtually no short-term memory. At that time, in the late 1980s, this was seen as quite revolutionary. Based on this work, and new Canadian employment equity legislation, I was approached to begin providing corporate training on topics related to disability in the workplace. As I became more involved in disability-related projects, I sold my manufacturing business and began my consultancy.

What are your future plans with the organization? How can someone reading this post help?

We are currently beginning to pilot a series of live, online training sessions focused on issues of ‘disability and employment’ at the University of British Columbia. These sessions, along with a corresponding set of questionnaires, will allow us to measure the effect of this training on participants. Essentially, we will be able to determine whether the training has been of benefit to participants and, ultimately, to job seekers and employees with disabilities. After review, and any final adjustments to the training modules, we will begin marketing this training to the larger Canadian market. Organizations, whether public or private, that have recognized that people with disabilities are not equitably represented within their workforces, may wish to consider this training. Communicating this training opportunity within those organizations would be an excellent first step to reaching this goal.

3. Inclusion Inc.

Founder: Leigh Felesky

What does your organization do? Who benefits from your work?

We are a team of digital strategists, content experts and passionate storytellers who draw upon many years of experience to create content strategies and approaches that have impact on people, businesses and communities through education that inspires and seeks to change lives.

Let’s hear your origin story! How did you get into this work?

I’m a journalist, content innovator and writer of over twenty years who has proven success building influential digital content products that impact people’s lives. Most of my working life has been in the start-up and corporate world in progressive roles from producer to manager and director. I believe that the power of storytelling can make people’s lives better and improve the daily realities for people living with disabilities. I’m ready to bring my experience, skill and knowledge to others in hopes of positively impacting career advancement barriers for people with disabilities including attitudinal bias, support network, workplace disclosure and workplace structure.

What are your future plans with the organization? How can someone reading this post help?

My project focuses on a 360 storytelling series of people living with disabilities who are successfully working in a wide range of industries. 75% of persons with disabilities report that they are overqualified for their current positions. Given the complexity of attitudinal bias, this is not surprising. I believe that through sharing stories of those with lived experience we can work to ensure all voices are at the table. I’m proud to be part of this conversation through this series. If you or someone you know finds a way to win everyday, despite challenges, please contact me at Leighfigdaily@gmail.com. I would love to know more.

4. SignAble Vi5ion

Founder: Leah Riddell

What does your organization do? Who benefits from your work?

Through consulting, education, and training, SignAble Vi5ion helps inclusive communicators live their values of creating a truly diverse and inclusive world, both in and outside the workplace. Everyone benefits from these efforts, as they enable individuals and organizations to move beyond mere “Check-the-Box” activities and advance genuine inclusion initiatives.

Let’s hear your origin story! How did you get into this work?

The birth of SignAble Vi5ion was not born out of mere passion; it was a result of profound hope. I witnessed firsthand the challenges faced by myself and family, friends, and others in the Deaf and disabled community. These experiences ignited a spark of optimism within me — a belief that things could be different, that positive change was possible. This hope became the driving force behind SignAble Vi5ion’s creation. I realized that through inclusive communication, a simple yet powerful practice accessible to all, lives could be transformed for the better.

What are your future plans with the organization? How can someone reading this post help?

I’m dedicated to fostering the growth of our team, extending our outreach, and elevating our services at SignAble Vi5ion. These objectives are crucial for our organization to have a more significant influence and to connect with more individuals and businesses that play a vital role in bridging gaps and advancing accessibility within our community. You can support SignAble Vi5ion by sharing our mission and initiatives on your social media platforms and within your networks, or by contributing to our programs, which allow us to hire interpreters and closed captioning services to be accessible to all.

5. Fable

Fable is a leading accessibility platform powered by people with disabilities. Fable offerings consist of 4 different products: Fable Pathways, Fable Engage, Fable Upskill and the Accessible Usability Scale (AUS).

Fable Pathways, a free skill development program for people with disabilities interested in working in the tech sector, was a finalist in the challenge.

Fable Pathways is taught by people with disabilities, for people with disabilities. Courses provide unique insights from industry experts, and help learners build new technical and non-technical skills to work in the tech sector.

Congratulations to these changemakers for paving the way in accessibility innovation and disability inclusion!

To meet more entrepreneurs building cutting edge innovations in accessibility, come join us virtually or in-person at our Demo Day on November 30th. Register here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/699207016007?aff=oddtdtcreator