Investing In Accessibility
Investing In Accessibility
Podcast Description
We aren't waiting for change, we are investing in it. Investing in Accessibility is dedicated to exploring the intersection of accessibility, entrepreneurship, and impact investing. Join hosts Kelvin Crosby and Chris Maher as they speak with entrepreneurs and thought leaders who are focused on empowering people with disabilities and creating a more accessible world.Kelvin Crosby is CEO of Smart Guider Inc., which develops navigation technology enabling deafblind individuals to travel independently. Known as The DeafBlind Potter, he funded his first invention, the See Me Cane, through pottery sales. Kelvin lives with Usher Syndrome type 2 and is a staunch advocate for accessibility.Chris Maher is the Founder & General Partner at Samaritan Partners, a public benefit venture fund that invests in the disability sector. Chris founded Samaritan after spending 25 years as an operator and multi-time CEO at a variety of venture capital backed companies, and 20 years raising two daughters with disabilities.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast focuses on various topics such as accessibility innovations, entrepreneurship in the disability sector, and impact investing strategies. Episode examples include discussions on the evolution of technology in accessibility with Steve Ewell from the CTA Foundation and personal stories from Kelvin Crosby about his journey and advocacy work. The show emphasizes the importance of empowering individuals with disabilities and highlights future possibilities for accessibility initiatives.
We aren’t waiting for change, we are investing in it. Investing in Accessibility is dedicated to exploring the intersection of accessibility, entrepreneurship, and impact investing. Join hosts Kelvin Crosby and Chris Maher as they speak with entrepreneurs and thought leaders who are focused on empowering people with disabilities and creating a more accessible world.
Kelvin Crosby is CEO of Smart Guider Inc., which develops navigation technology enabling deafblind individuals to travel independently. Known as The DeafBlind Potter, he funded his first invention, the See Me Cane, through pottery sales. Kelvin lives with Usher Syndrome type 2 and is a staunch advocate for accessibility.
Chris Maher is the Founder & General Partner at Samaritan Partners, a public benefit venture fund that invests in the disability sector. Chris founded Samaritan after spending 25 years as an operator and multi-time CEO at a variety of venture capital-backed companies, and 20 years raising two daughters with disabilities.
In this episode of Investing in Accessibility, co-hosts Kelvin Crosby and Chris Maher launch the first installment of their new Accelerator Series, highlighting organizations that help disability-focused startups grow and scale their impact.
Their first guest is Varun Chandak, founder and executive director of Access to Success (ATS), a Toronto-based nonprofit accelerator supporting accessibility startups around the world. Varun shares his personal journey—from growing up in India with undiagnosed hearing loss to working in finance and ultimately building a global innovation hub dedicated to advancing disability tech.
The conversation explores how ATS helps early-stage companies move from promising ideas to scalable solutions through tailored mentorship, expert-led masterclasses, and a powerful global network. Varun also discusses the importance of inclusive design, why many accessibility startups pivot from B2C to B2B models, and the overlooked funding opportunities that founders should consider beyond traditional venture capital.
Along the way, the hosts dive into the realities of entrepreneurship in the accessibility sector—from funding challenges to the emotional resilience required to build mission-driven companies.
If you’re an entrepreneur, investor, or advocate passionate about innovation in accessibility, this episode offers valuable insights into the people and programs accelerating the future of inclusive technology.
Links & Resources:
Varun Chandak: LinkedIn
Access to Success: Website
ATS Demo Day 2025: Recording
2026 Spring Cohort: Expression of Interest Page
COMING SOON!
American Sign Language (ASL) and Captioning for each episode will be provided on our YouTube channel. Go to handle @SamaritanPartners.
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