Time.news – A sort of Tripadvisor of architectural barriers: Whable is a platform that evaluates the accessibility of premises and accommodation facilities “verified by the disabled for the disabled”. Born from an idea of Marco Altea – 42 years old from Cagliari with a degree and a master’s degree in London – the Whable page aims to become a startup capable of guaranteeing the free movement of those with mobility difficulties. “For those with a disability, getting out of the house is a challenge: holes, steps, very few slides become a safety problem and someone gives up by locking themselves in the house”, explained to Time.news Altea.
Reviews often turn out to be inaccurate
So the creator of Whable now, with his team, is developing an app that allows you to identify the rooms accessible by wheelchair. “It happens too often that accessibility reviews turn out to be inaccurate. Instead we want a world where the disabled can use the facilities safely and without having to ask anyone for anything ”, added Altea.
Today Whable is a social page where users can leave their ratings on the accessibility or otherwise of bars, restaurants and hotels, but the goal is also to achieve certification with a guarantee sticker.
Success among industry experts
At work, to find funding, promote social awareness campaigns and develop the necessary technologies, there are Karim Galici (Chief Operations Manager), Valentina Tutone (Sustainable Tourism Expert), Davide Piccioli (Social media manager), Valentina Delfino (Social Media Specialist) , Stefano Troilo (chief graphic designer), Mersia Carboni (chief Financial Operator) almost all recruited online, on specialized platforms such as Linkedin, because, as Altea clarified: “On the internet we are really free to move”.
The idea is enjoying success not only among the many users who have joined the community, but also among industry experts. In January last year, Whable’s group was selected during the International Job Meeting 2020 promoted by Aspal, a Sardinian company for active employment policies, winning a trip to San Francisco to enrich their knowledge on startups and the best business models. The pandemic has blocked the journey, but not Altea who wants to make Whable a point of reference for the ‘disabled community’.
.