AT2030

Funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and led by the Global Disability Innovation Hub (GDI Hub), AT2030 brings together global experts, international organisations, local delivery partners, multidisciplinary sectors and a new collaborative approach to drive change.

Sub-projects

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Overview
Project purpose
What we've achieved so far
What's next for AT2030
Key publications
Other outputs
Project team
Project funders
Latest

Status

Live

Project type

Research Innovation Programmes Advocacy

Country

Asia Africa

Work type

Include

Person holding up mobile phone and pointing at at. They are smiling — It is estimated that by 2050 - two billion people would benefit from AT - yet 90% will not have access. The AT2030 Programme exists to change that.

Overview

It is estimated that by 2050 - two billion people would benefit from AT - yet 90% will not have access. A lack AT access results in children rejected from education, adults excluded from work and family life, and older people prohibited from participating in their communities.

To overcome this, the AT2030 programme tests ‘what works’ to improve access to life-changing Assistive Technology (AT) for all.

In June 2023, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office announced its commitment of an additional £31m to AT2030, building on ‘what works’ to double-down on impact bringing the programme total to £50m by 2030.

Discover more about the AT2030 programme on the AT2030 website

AT2030 operates through five key programme clusters:

Include: Fostering community leadership and engagement to ensure solutions are grounded in local contexts.
Inquire: Generating new evidence and insights to understand what works in improving AT access.
Incubate: Developing and testing technology-inspired solutions to meet the diverse needs of users.
Invest: Bringing effective solutions to market by supporting innovative ventures and scaling successful models.
Integrate: Strengthening systems to make inclusion a reality, including policy development and infrastructure improvements.

Project purpose

The AT2030 programme aims to improve access to life-changing assistive technology (AT) for people with disabilities, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

The ultimate goal is to enable independence and opportunity for millions of people worldwide.

What we've achieved so far

The AT2030 programme has significantly enhanced global access to assistive technology (AT), particularly in low- and middle-income countries. It has reached millions through diverse initiatives, supported innovative ventures, and influenced policy and infrastructure development.

Key Achievements

Global Reach: Benefited over 10 million people directly and 54 million indirectly across 61 countries, including regions across Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Pacific.
Innovation Support: Assisted 40 AT ventures towards sustainability and developed, tested, or scaled 46 new assistive technologies.
Policy Influence: Conducted 14 country capacity assessments and contributed to 28 national strategies for disability inclusion.
Knowledge Dissemination: Published 98 peer-reviewed articles, 105 influential papers and 40 case studies to guide AT development.

Notable Projects include:

Inclusive infrastructure and design: Through inclusive planning and policy influence, inclusive infrastructure and design improved urban accessibility in cities like Medellín, Ulaanbaatar, and Freetown. This includes the release of our Global Action Report.
Local production strengthening: The programme supports the development of local manufacturing capacity for assistive products such as prosthetics and mobility aids.
Para sport against stigma: This work uses sport to challenge disability stigma, support athlete development, and shift public perception through inclusive events and media.
Mobile as assistive technology: As part of this project, we’ve trialled mobile phones as accessible tools for communication and independence, with features like screen readers and voice control in low-resource settings.
Assistive Technology Impact Fund: We launched a £4 million programme to accelerate frontier technology solutions for people with disabilities in Africa, aiming to test and scale the most viable business models.

AT2030 continues to drive impactful change through these initiatives, promoting inclusive design, supporting innovative solutions, and influencing policies to improve the lives of persons with disabilities globally.

What's next for AT2030

Going forward, the AT2030 programme aims to build on its success by increasing our impact.

A key focus will be expanding our reach to more people in more countries, particularly in the most marginalised communities. By strengthening partnerships with key stakeholders, we aim to embed assistive technology into national systems and long-term development planning.

Additionally, the AT2030 programme will work to ensure that the insights, tools, and evidence developed so far are accessible and usable by others. This will help inform policy, shape inclusive services, and inspire new solutions. Continued research, innovation, and local capacity-building investment will remain essential.

Ultimately, AT2030 aims to make assistive technology a core part of inclusive, sustainable development worldwide, especially in low and middle-income countries.