Powering your freedom with the latest mobility tech

Two energetic entrepreneurs are using their own experience of overcoming disability to offer the latest mobility tech

‘Startling, humbling, exhilarating…’ That’s how Cristian Brownlee sums up 2023 so far and there’s still another six months to go

As the faces of Adapt Ability, Cristian and his business partner Matt Walker are having a year like no other, and it’s all because of the hands-free Omeo Active Power Wheelchair (APW) they use. From starring on Dragons’ Den to taking BBC Click’s Martin Dougan for an Omeo seaside ‘drive’, the pair are definitely on a roll.

Add in Cristian winning £50k to invest after being named Disability Entrepreneur of the Year by The Stelios Philanthropic Foundation and Leonard Cheshire in May, and you see why the last six months have been ‘a blast’.

‘The highlight has been the public response we’ve received,’ Cristian reveals. ‘I often questioned why –why are we doing this? But the overwhelming support we’ve received, the smiles of freedom when people try an Omeo, the happy tears, everything… it’s so worth it.’

Regaining freedom

Adapt Ability launched in 2020 with a clear goal – to disrupt the mobility industry with cutting-edge technology that offers unparalleled freedom.

At the heart of its story lies the pair’s first-hand experience of the life-changing mobility tech they sell. Both have spinal injuries that have left them unable to walk and are enthusiastic Omeo users themselves.

In fact, Cristian was the first person in the UK to use the Omeo after spotting a ‘prototype’ of the seatsteering APW online. ‘For the very first time, with complete independence, I took my dog for a stroll in the local woodlands. I couldn’t believe what was happening… it was pure liberation,’ he recalls.

Today the all-terrain Omeo is, he says, his ’freedom’, and he wants it (and new arrival, the Adapto) to become other people’s freedom too.

Spreading the word

Hence 2023 has been about spreading the word, including at Motability’s The Big Event and July’s Disability Expo at LondonExcel.

Matt – and Adapt Ability’s ‘trialist stylist’ Darren Blight – have also been clocking up the miles on a busy schedule of Omeo ‘try me’ days, spanning the length of the UK.

‘Our ‘try me’ days have been brilliant,’ says Matt. ‘I love seing how in just five minutes people get that Omeo smile!’

This customer-first approach reflects Adapt Ability’s commitment to go the extra mile, with feedback praising the time and care the team takes.

‘We’re in a unique position to understand the difficulties people with disabilities face and the benefits our services provide,’ agrees Cristian. ‘Our ability to empathise at such complex levels gives us an edge.’

Aspiring to grow

‘Our customers are people who want to do things differently. Through innovative technology I want to show them you don’t have to stick to the highway –you can make your own paths while everybody else drives straight.’

Even better, Adapt Ability can now help customers apply for support with funding for the Omeo or Adapto through the government’s Access to Work scheme.

So what’s next? There’s certainly no sign of things slowing down. ‘We’ve just partnered with the legendary spinal cord injury charity Aspire, and we’re super excited to move into our new headquarters at the Aspire Leisure Centre in Stanmore,’ Cristian reveals.

‘The centre offers unrivalled leisure facilities for wheelchair users and we can’t wait to welcome people to try our mobility solutions there – do see our website and social channels for more. I’m excited to see where we go from here!’

The

The world’s only hands-free, seatsteering Active Power Wheelchair –lean in the direction you want and that’s where you’ll go, slow your pace by leaning back

All-terrain capability – covers grass, gravel, forest, sand and uneven/sloping surfaces with ease

Zero degree turn – pefect for those tight spots in lifts, cafes, bars and shops

Range of more than 30 miles

Supremely comfortable ride with inbuilt, back-up safety and security features

Fits easily into the back of a hatchback, estate or SUV

Looks cool (because, yes, this matters!) – available in a range of colours and finishes

‘Our customers are people who want to do things differently. Through innovative technology I want to show them you don’t have to stick to the highway – you can make your own paths while everybody else drives straight ’

Cristian Brownlee

The Adapto – new on the block

Freedom and choice – Adapt Ability has just added a second innovative gyrobased APW to its range.

The all-terrain Adapto offers hand-steering capability and a (pretty neat) heightadjustable seat, which can be raised 14cms – perfect for catching up with family or friends in bars with higher tables/stools, cafes and shops, as well as benefitting posture and circulation.

Zero degree turn, intuitive braking system and an extensive range…. the list goes on. ‘Everyone’s needs and abilities vary,’ Cristian says. ‘The Adapto perfectly compliments our growing range of products so we can continue to help even more people achieve their mobility goals.’

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