A life-changing incident leads to the creation of a popular app
Simon Sansome, a 41-year-old entrepreneur from Leicester, was left paralysed from the waist down after a failed chiropractic session. One evening, while celebrating his progress in rehabilitation, he encountered an inaccessible restroom in a Spanish restaurant. This experience inspired him to create a Facebook group to rate accessibility in Leicester venues. The group quickly grew, with over 1,000 members joining in the first few weeks. Simon then developed the Snowball app, which allows the disabled community to review and log accessibility information for shops, restaurants, and hotels. The app has gained over 110,000 members and recently won the Santander X Awards, earning Simon £25,000 in funding.
Support from Paralympians and plans for expansion
Simon has received support from Paralympians Hannah Cockroft OBE and Aaron Phipps MBE, who are helping raise awareness of the Snowball app. Simon intends to use the funding to train staff and potentially bring the day-to-day operations of the app in-house. Additionally, he sees an opportunity to collaborate with major retailers in the future, using the app's data to identify accessibility trends and work towards creating more inclusive environments.
Another winner at the Santander X Awards
Hanan Tantush, a 21-year-old from Cheshire, won in the university category for her business Intotum. Hanan creates stylish adaptive clothing for the disabled community, inspired by her grandfather's uncomfortable post-surgery experience. She has been working on her designs throughout her degree at the London College of Fashion and plans to debut her collection at London Fashion Week in February.
Equity-free funding for innovative start-ups and university enterprises
The Santander X Awards, now in its 13th year, provides the opportunity for start-ups and university enterprises to receive funding without giving up equity. This year's judging panel included musician, presenter, and investor Tinie Tempah, who was impressed by the inspiring pitches and the potential impact these businesses can make. The winners have proven themselves capable of attracting investors and gaining momentum for their ideas.
