10 year impact report: A decade of impact and a vision for the future
In September 2026 the Global Disability Innovation Hub (GDI Hub) turns ten. GDI Hub launched on the eve of the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games with vision to disrupt the old approaches to disability and the exclusion found in the tech and innovation sectors. This report explores what happed next. GDI Hub was founded on the principles that lived experience (disabled people and our communities), must be at the centre of all that we do. We sought to harness the power of innovative methods and new technology to “change the world a little bit”. Explore our 10 year impact report to find out more about 10 years of global programmes, research, innovation and community.
GDI Hub launched when disability innovation was an emerging concept
Back then, data and evidence on the methods and mechanisms that work were widely non-existent, and assistive technology (AT) hadn’t reached the global agenda. We saw a spark. New technologies to support inclusion were emerging day by day. Researchers were pushing boundaries across accessible transport and inclusive design. London’s 2012 Paralympic Games had shifted the public zeitgeist. Advocates found themselves with a bigger platform than before. This is where GDI Hub began. Bringing together expertise from London 2012 and its communities, alongside deep knowledge and expertise from prestigious academic and cultural institutions across London to build new collaborations and ambitious ideas.
2016 - 2026: A decade of impact and a vision for the future
Find out more about the change we've made, the research we've conducted and the partners and communities that have made it all possible.
More versions of the report will be availible shortly. If you need this document in alternative, accessible formats, please contact h.kamau@ucl.ac.uk
