Start up soft-launch statement

To the curious and purpose-driven,

My name is Kaheawai Kaonohi, Founder/CEO of The Disabled Soloist, an emerging organization within the medical device industry. I’ve been disabled since birth, diagnosed at 18 months with Cerebral Palsy Spastic Diplegia ¹. I’ve undergone eight reconstructive surgeries and used canes, walkers, and wheelchairs during each stage of recovery. For the past 26 years, I’ve relied on crutches as my permanent means of mobility.

At The Disabled Soloist, our mission is to empower every adventure, no matter your mobility needs, by re-engineering personal mobility solutions. Our work focuses on three core initiatives: 1. building a digital content hub that shares mobility-related stories, accessibility guidance, educational resources, and honest product reviews; 2. developing a standardized spatial rating system ² to help people quickly assess how accessible a space is before they enter; and 3. designing premium, masterfully engineered canes, crutches, and walkers that prioritize aesthetics, function and adaptability. Together, these efforts work to reshape how mobility is experienced, understood, and valued in everyday life.

We are currently seeking collaborators across product design, biomedical engineering, research, accessibility, strategy, intellectual property and investment. We also want to hear from people with lived experience navigating the world with mobility challenges. Our immediate goal is to build a strong professional network to gain insight, share knowledge, and identify the right people to help shape our founding team.

If you or someone you know is ready to help reimagine the future of personal mobility, I invite you to visit our website to learn more about why we exist, what we’re building, and how you can get involved.