The East London Inclusive Enterprise Zone (ELIEZ) is an accessible, specially designed, community for entrepreneurs, business leaders and design thinkers who are disabled or whose work focuses on people with disabilities.
The programme...
...led by UCL and several other partners including London Legacy Development Corporation, Plexal, Disability Rights UK and Barclays - enrolled over 30 entrepreneurs, helping them accelerate the development of products and services that address unmet needs, from the idea stage through to deployment.
Alongside unlimited support from the ELIEZ network, the cohort benefitted from mentoring, workshops and pitch practice sessions.
We've run several streams of work with ELIEZ, including:
- helping them deliver a range of accessible workshops as part of ELIEZ’s Lunch and Learn sessions.
- developing the ELIEZ brand and brochure.
- writing and creating their Accessible Social Comms Guide.
Our vision is that the guide will evolve over time, and we’re open to new collaborators to contribute to the document. Drop Ross (ross@bravand.com) for more info.
Last month, ELIEZ held their Demo Day; a virtual showcase of all ELIEZ startups, with investors and ELIEZ partners - hosted by Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson - to complete the inaugural cohort's graduation.
Winner, winner, digital dinner.
At that event, ELIEZ announced the names of three ELIEZ start-ups that were to be awarded a £1,000 voucher towards Bravand services. The winners are:
• EmPact: which prepares underrepresented groups for the workplace, with a focus on young people with hidden disabilities. Founded by Liz Bastin and Stella Ezeogu.
• Patchwork Hub: a remote-working platform, leading the culture change in work and accessibility. Founded by Beth Kume-Holland.
• Chat-e-Cycle: a design of a tandem e-bicycle linked to a community scheme allowing residents to unite for transport. Run by Kate Mattick.
Over the coming weeks, we'll be booking these fantastic startups in for a chat about their needs so we can figure out the best way to spend their prizes. Then we'll share a bit more about their stories, the work we do together and the results we get.
