Snowball Accessibility App Named in TIME's Best Inventions
Author: Simon Sansome, Founder & CEO of Snowball
Published: 15 Oct 2026
Publication Type: News
Table of Contents:
Synopsis - Definition - Overview - FAQs - Insights, Updates - Related Content
Synopsis
This report covers the selection of Snowball, a free accessibility app for Apple and Android devices, as one of TIME's Best Inventions of 2026. The app was created by Simon Sansome, who was paralyzed from the waist down after a spinal injury in 2014 and learned first-hand how hard it is to find reliable information about where a disabled person can actually go. Snowball brings together accessibility assessments, user reviews and practical details so people can judge whether a restaurant, hotel, shop or attraction suits their needs before they leave home, and it adds a stimulation rating that helps neurodivergent people gauge whether a venue's sensory environment is likely to work for them. With a community of around 170,000 people across the app and its social media channels, the recognition matters to wheelchair users, people with sensory or cognitive disabilities, seniors with limited mobility and the caregivers who plan their outings, because it shows that tools built from lived experience of disability are being taken seriously as real innovation.*
At a Glance
- 1 - The company later joined Google for Startups and has continued to develop its accessibility information and partner network.
- 2 - Mobility retailer CareCo is bringing Snowball assessments to its 41 UK locations, and a partnership with Ambassador Cruise Line is set to launch soon.
- 3 - In October 2025, Sansome appeared on BBC's Dragons' Den, where all five Dragons made investment offers. The exposure brought the app to a much wider audience.
- 4 - Sansome returned to university after his injury to study journalism at De Montfort University in Leicester. He went on to win the Santander X UK entrepreneurship competition in 2023.
Topic Definition
- Accessibility Information App
An accessibility information app is a mobile tool that tells disabled people, seniors and caregivers how accessible a place is before they visit. Instead of relying on a venue's own claims, these apps collect detailed assessments and reviews covering things like step-free entrances, door widths, accessible restrooms, parking, seating and lighting, often gathered by people with lived experience of disability. Some go further and rate sensory conditions such as noise and crowd levels, which helps neurodivergent people and those with sensory processing differences. The goal is to take the guesswork out of planning a meal, a hotel stay or a day out, so people can make informed decisions and travel with confidence.
Overview
Snowball Named One of TIME Magazine's Best Inventions of 2026
Snowball, the free accessibility app helping disabled people find places they can visit with confidence, has been named one of TIME's Best Inventions of 2026, marking a significant milestone for the business and its founder, Simon Sansome.
The recognition comes more than a decade after Simon suffered a spinal injury in 2014 that left him paralysed from the waist down. Having experienced first-hand the difficulties of finding reliable information about accessible places, he set out to create a solution that would help other disabled people make informed decisions about where they could go, from restaurants and hotels to shops, attractions and other everyday destinations.
Now used by a growing community of disabled people, Snowball combines accessibility assessments, reviews and practical information to help people understand whether a place is suitable for their needs before they visit. The app also considers needs beyond physical access, including a stimulation rating to help neurodivergent people assess whether an environment is likely to work for them.
For Simon, the recognition from TIME is particularly meaningful given the personal experiences that led him to create the app, as well as the challenges involved in turning the idea into a business.
"When I found out that Snowball had been selected as one of TIME's Best Inventions of 2026, I was absolutely blown away.
"I've been disabled for 12 years now, and I know how frustrating and isolating it can be when the world simply isn't designed with you in mind. I've been refused access to transport, struggled to find accessible hotels and missed out on experiences that other people take for granted. Snowball came from wanting to change that, not just for myself but for millions of other disabled people.
"To go from that experience to being recognised by one of the world's most famous media platforms is quite extraordinary. What makes it especially meaningful is that something created out of a difficult personal experience is now helping other people. If Snowball gives one disabled person the confidence to leave home, travel somewhere new or do something they previously thought was impossible, then we've achieved something worthwhile."
Snowball's recognition follows a period of significant progress for the business. In October 2025, Simon appeared on BBC's Dragons' Den, where all five Dragons made investment offers, bringing the app to a much wider audience. The company subsequently joined Google for Startups and has continued to develop its accessibility information and partnerships.
Snowball's community now reaches around 170,000 people across its app and social media platforms, with partnerships including mobility retailer CareCo, which is bringing Snowball assessments to its 41 UK locations, and launching soon with Ambassador Cruise Line. The business also works with local authorities and other organisations to help venues understand their accessibility and identify opportunities to become more inclusive.
Snowball is developing an expansion programme, with plans to grow in the USA, starting in New York. An important part of this next phase is the ambition to recruit up to 1,000 self-employed accessibility assessors in the USA, creating opportunities for disabled and neurodivergent people to use their lived experience to generate an income.
Assessors will receive training and have the opportunity to earn the local equivalent of £200 per completed assessment, helping Snowball expand its coverage while opening up new earning opportunities for people who can face barriers to traditional employment.
Simon believes this is an important part of the business's wider purpose, demonstrating that accessibility can drive innovation and commercial opportunity while making a practical difference to people's lives.
"There are more than 1.3 billion disabled people worldwide, yet accessibility has historically been treated as an afterthought. I think we're beginning to understand that it isn't a niche issue, and that disability innovation can be commercially successful, technologically advanced and genuinely transformative.
"What excites me most is that TIME has recognised Snowball as an invention. Disabled people aren't just consumers of innovation, we can be the innovators, entrepreneurs and business leaders creating solutions that make a difference.
"Our ambition is to make Snowball the global standard for accessibility information, so that wherever you are in the world, you can make informed decisions about where you can go. We want to help people travel with greater confidence, help businesses understand their customers better and create opportunities for disabled people along the way. Our message has always been: Everyone Deserves Everywhere."
Snowball's journey has also been shaped by the support of Simon's wife, Kate, who has been alongside him throughout the business's development, and COO Clive Cooper, as well as the accessibility assessors and community members who contribute their knowledge and experiences.
Simon, who returned to university after his injury and studied journalism at De Montfort University in Leicester, also won the Santander X UK entrepreneurship competition in 2023. He says the TIME recognition is a reminder of how far the business has come, but also of the problem it still wants to solve.
"If you'd told me 12 years ago, when I was lying in hospital wondering what my future would look like, that something I'd created would one day be recognised by TIME as one of the world's best inventions, I wouldn't have believed you.
"I didn't set out to create one of the world's best inventions, I set out to solve a problem that was making my life, and millions of other people's lives, unnecessarily difficult. That's what makes this recognition so special."
About Snowball
Available to download on Apple and Android devices, Snowball is a free mobile app that helps disabled people find accessible businesses, services and destinations. Through accessibility assessments, reviews and practical information, it helps people make informed decisions about where they can go and what they can do. The app considers a range of accessibility needs, including physical access and sensory stimulation, and aims to help businesses improve accessibility while creating opportunities for disabled people.
Frequently Asked Questions
NOTE: Researched FAQs by Disabled World (DW)
What is TIME's Best Inventions list?
TIME publishes an annual list of new products and ideas it considers notable, choosing entries based on factors such as originality, effectiveness, ambition and impact. Nominations come from TIME's editors and correspondents as well as an application process.
What does a stimulation rating measure?
A stimulation rating gives a sense of a venue's sensory environment, such as noise, lighting and how crowded it tends to get. It helps neurodivergent people and anyone with sensory sensitivities decide whether a place is likely to feel comfortable.
What does a venue accessibility assessment usually check?
A typical assessment looks at parking, step-free entry, ramp gradients, door widths, accessible restrooms, seating, counter heights and signage. Many also note staff awareness and whether assistance is available on request.
Which laws require businesses to be accessible in the US and UK?
In the United States, the Americans with Disabilities Act sets accessibility requirements for public accommodations such as stores, restaurants and hotels. In the United Kingdom, the Equality Act 2010 requires service providers to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people.
How can older adults benefit from accessibility apps?
Seniors with reduced mobility, hearing or vision can check in advance for level access, seating, handrails and accessible restrooms. This lowers the risk of a wasted trip and makes outings with family easier to plan.
Why are reviews from disabled users useful when choosing a venue?
General review sites rarely cover details such as ramp steepness or restroom layout. Reviews from people with lived experience of disability tend to focus on the practical barriers that matter most to other disabled visitors.
How can a business improve its accessibility?
A good starting point is an independent accessibility assessment, followed by fixes such as clear signage, step-free routes, accessible restrooms and staff training. Publishing accurate access information online also helps disabled customers plan visits.
What does neurodivergent mean?
Neurodivergent describes people whose brains work differently from what is considered typical, including people with autism, ADHD, dyslexia and similar conditions. Many neurodivergent people experience sensory input more intensely, which is why low-stimulation spaces can matter.
Insights, Analysis, and Developments
Editorial Note: The bigger story here may be what comes next. Snowball is building an expansion program for the USA, starting in New York, with a goal of recruiting up to 1,000 self-employed accessibility assessors who will receive training and can earn the local equivalent of 200 British pounds for each completed assessment. That model turns lived experience into paid work for disabled and neurodivergent people who often face barriers to traditional employment, while giving venues and local authorities a clearer picture of where they fall short and how to become more inclusive. With more than 1.3 billion disabled people worldwide, the argument that accessibility is a mainstream market rather than an afterthought is getting harder to dismiss, and a place on TIME's Best Inventions list for a tool built by a disabled founder gives real weight to the company's motto, Everyone Deserves Everywhere.*
Attribution/Source(s): This quality-reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) due to its relevance to the disability community. Originally authored by Simon Sansome, Founder & CEO of Snowball and published on 15 Oct 2026, this content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity.
* Editorial additions by Ian C. Langtree.