Accomable Launches U.S. Headquarters in Austin, Texas

Author: Accomable
Published: 1 Apr 2016 - Updated: 7 Feb 2020

Table of Contents:
Synopsis - Overview - Related Content

Synopsis

Global platform for finding adapted hotels and vacation rentals for disabled and elderly people launches in Austin, Texas.

Overview

Please Note: Since this article was published, Airbnb, the accommodation and travel company, has acquired Accomable, a startup based out of London that focused on disabled-friendly travel listings.

Accomable, a pioneering global platform for finding adapted hotels and vacation rentals for disabled and elderly people, has launched its first US headquarters in Austin, Texas, with plans for major expansion.

Currently featuring specially adapted properties for disabled and elderly people across Florida, California, Las Vegas and Boston, Accomable plans to expand to more than 500 properties across Texas, with more than 10,000 properties across the USA by the end of the year.

The company, based in London, UK, was founded by disabled entrepreneurs Srin Madipalli and Martyn Sibley.

Friends since childhood and regular travellers, Madipalli (who now serves as the company's CEO) and Sibley are both wheelchair users due to a disability called SMA (Spinal Muscular Atrophy). Frustrated at the lack of travel information available for disabled people, they launched Accomable in the summer of 2015.

The company received funding from the US-based Skoll Foundation and Oxford University (where Mr Madipalli studied) via an initiative to support ventures that deliver social impact.

Since then, Accomable has grown into one of the largest platforms of adapted properties with a presence in 36 countries.

The company was also a part of an award-winning documentary that premiered in December 2015 at a UN sponsored film festival in New York City. The film charts Mr Madipalli's journey to teach himself to code in order to launch Accomable.

19% of the US population have some form of disability (2012 census), yet finding appropriately adapted holiday homes can be difficult for families and individuals who are either personally affected by disability or who care for someone that is.

Accomable solves this problem by ensuring vendors provide high quality images and information to help users decide whether the property is appropriate.

Accomable's launch in Austin, Texas is being spearheaded by Heather Kerstetter, an Austin local, who also has SMA.

"I'm delighted to be heading up Accomable's US headquarters here in Austin. There is a huge and growing need for more accessible vacation properties both in Texas and across the US. My mission is to expand Accomable's number of quality, adapted vacation rentals nationwide, so all Americans and international visitors can enjoy everything our wonderful country has to offer."

"Austin is the ideal place for startups and fast growing companies like Accomable to expand - we have a real tech hub here, with young, vibrant talent, great resources and very favourable rent when compared with Silicon Valley", said Heather Kerstetter.

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 Accomable and published on 1 Apr 2016, this content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity.