Through its philanthropic vehicle, Google.org, the internet giant has announced that it’s going to provide $20 million in funding to 29 non-profit organizations that are developing technology aimed at assisting disabled people. The non-profits are working on a range of projects which include 3D-printed prosthetic limbs and low-cost ways to convert standard wheelchairs into powered wheelchairs. The $20 million will be divided between these 20 non-profits so that they can bring their projects to life.
The average grant that Google is providing to these non-profits is $750,000 but six of them have received over $1 million each. Google says that it had scalability in mind when it was deciding which projects to fund, it’s particularly looking for ways that these organizations can put these innovations out to help disabled people.
Google has posted a video online to promote the initiative, the video mentions that more than one billion people across the globe live with a disability and that they live in a world that’s increasingly becoming inaccessible to them. A lot more has to be done to ensure that the billion-plus people with disabilities are able to lead fuller lives without being left out.
It’s realistic about the entire process and acknowledges that these projects will not reach millions of people in a year, but Google says that applicants that applied for the grants needed to at least articulate in a way that their solution could ultimately reach and help a large number of people.