Beyond companionship, another challenge facing older population is the loss of mobility and the ability to drive. A few years ago, Justin Boogaard started GoGoGrandparent to help older adults maintain their independence by accessing on-demand services like Uber & Lyft without a smart phone. As with many entrepreneurs in the longevity ecosystem, Justin started his journey with a personal story – of the need for an accessibility solution for his grandmother. Srin Madipalli, our guest in this Shades of Grey episode, started Accomable (acquired by Airbnb in 2017) to solve a personal challenge, and to raise the profile on the needs of the disabled. Arun Krishnakumar describes how he passed on Srin's funding request, only to find them acquired by Airbnb in a year's time. Theo, Arun and Srin discuss the reasons behind the founding of Accomable, the growth that it saw in the market, and how the acquisition came about. Srin is now a global ambassador for Airbnb, and travels the world shouting out the need for mobility.To be successful in today’s diverse society, accessibility cannot be an after thought. People with disabilities and physical ailments, or those who are illiterate, now have the means to obtain information, control smart home appliances, and engage with others outside their homes. The ability to bridge physical distance, or navigate the world via the digital highway – using one’s voice is simply empowering. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.