ABBY represents a breakthrough in personal electric vehicles for adults with reduced mobility. In contrast to traditional power chairs, which are hindered by limited range, outdated technology, and complex healthcare bureaucracy, ABBY integrates advanced robotics. It employs cameras and sensors to offer autonomous and semi-autonomous driving modes, significantly enhancing safety.
Milestones
Key Data
Founders
Headquarters
Wilmington,
United States
Founded 2018
Partnered 2022
John DeBenedette
Dr Clarence Tan
Techstars '21 & XTC '22 Global Finalist
Why we love ABBY
We believe that everyone should be able to go wherever they want to without limitations. For people with reduced mobility, this implies being able to get to every destination, unrestricted by distance, strength or duration. ABBY made this happen. ABBY’s mission is to help bring about a more inclusive society with connected personal mobility. Thereby, they’re tackling an important social challenge of eliminating many restrictions that people with reduced mobility are still confronted with. However, ABBY’s social impact does not end there. They reassure that everyone can access and afford their product, thereby ensuring and empowering equality.
SDG Alignment
Good health and well-being: Ensure healthy lives and promote well being for all, at all ages
Reduced inequalities:
Reduce inequality within and among countries
The Founders
John DeBenedette - founder and CEO at ABBY, has over 35 years of experience in tech, including 20 years as a startup executive. Next to that, was also the former CTO & CCO at INTTRA, a SaaS container shipping platform acquired by E2Open in 2018 for $260M.
When John was involved in a motorbike accident in 1985, he was abruptly forced to use a wheelchair. Moving around in a wheelchair for 12 years, John realised firsthand the challenges that people with reduced ability face and developed ABBY together with his co-founder to help them tackle these challenges.
Dr. Clarence Tan - the co-founder at ABBY, has founded Bond Wireless and EPIChub.org, was the Global Ambassador/Board Advisor at OpenExO, and is an Adjunct Professor at Bond University & Griffith University. He co-founded ABBY because he believes powered mobility can't remain a privilege for only the wealthy and the well-insured.
