Aergo : Responsive postural support system

I'm the founder of a medical device company, Aergo. Our mission is to empower people with disabilities by providing innovative assistive technologies to enable better physical and social participation. Drawing on my experience as a female founder, and the additional challenges this has raised, I aim to grow Aergo into a sustainable business while sharing my learnings to inspire more women to innovate in the healthcare sector.

Proper seating posture is vital to digestion, breathing and communication, but the ability to sit comfortably is a daily struggle for over 1 million wheelchair users in the UK. Improper seating can exacerbate spinal deformities and leads to complications that devastate lives and cost the NHS over £3 billion a year.

I created Aergo to be the world's most adaptable postural support system. It uses a network of patent-pending air cells to support individuals of all ages and needs. The remote-controlled system provides adjustable pressure-relief for a range of physical conditions and is the first device of its kind to grow with the user through its expandable frame. Among the benefits Aergo will be able to offer are pressure ulcer prevention for the Ageing population, the mitigation of risk of back pain in the likes of office workers and truck drivers.

At Aergo we're driven by the belief that design today does not do enough to foster participation and engagement from all parts of our society. By offering solutions that empower users to control their own care, we aim to place personal health and autonomy within reach of everyone.