Accessibility as the Standard, Not the Exception

Our team started the new year under the neon lights of Las Vegas, attending CES 2026, but the brightest thing we saw wasn’t the Strip — it was the future of accessibility.

What is CES?

For those who haven’t heard of it, CES (Consumer Electronics Show) is the most influential tech event in the world. It’s where global giants and the sharpest startups gather to showcase the “next big thing.” This year, however, the “next big thing” wasn’t just a faster phone or bigger TV — it was the spotlight focused directly on accessibility.

Putting People First on the Global Stage

For the first time in CES history, accessibility was brought to the forefront of the conversation, including its own dedicated stage for important conversations around pressing issues in digital access, product development, workforce inclusion, and universal design. CPARF was right in the center of the action, showcasing the incredible startups from our 2025 Remarkable US Cohort.

The energy was electric. We made game-changing introductions and saw a massive wave of excitement for our cohort’s products. But more importantly, we saw a shift in the world’s perspective:

• Destigmatizing Disability: A huge shoutout to the CTA Foundation for their incredible work. With accessibility focused events every day, they helped shift the narrative from “niche products” to Universal Design.
• Full Integration: We are finally seeing a world where accessible design is being integrated into the fabric of society, rather than being an afterthought.
• Human-Centric Innovation: At CPARF, our work is always human-first. Seeing the tech world embrace the idea that “designing for disability is designing for everyone” was a beautiful confirmation of our mission.

And The Solly Rodan Award Goes To…

We are overjoyed to announce the winner of the 2025 Solly Rodan Award: Good Trouble!

Selected by the Remarkable US team, Good Trouble stood out not just for their tech, but for their spirit. They consistently showed up for their fellow startups, embodying the community-first mindset that defines our program.

Created in 2023 during the expansion of our Remarkable US accelerator, the Solly Rodan Award was named in honor of Solly Rodan, a cherished member of the CPARF community. Solly and his family know that when the world is designed to be accessible, the “impossible” becomes possible. His Trexo gait trainer has helped open his world and push him far beyond his doctors’ expectations.

This award celebrates those who combine innovation with that same deep commitment to the disability community. It celebrates the humanity of human-centric design. By winning this award, Good Trouble joins a line of innovators who prove that the best way to change the world is to do it together.

More Agency, More Joy

Everything we did at CES, from every handshake to every demo, was about one thing: Agency.

By championing accessibility at the core of every innovation, we are ensuring the freedom that comes from movement, communication, and play is for everyone. This isn’t just about gadgets; it is a fundamental shift towards equity. By prioritizing accessibility from the start, we replace exclusionary environments with inclusive ones, honoring every individual’s right to navigate the world with agency and joy.

The future isn’t just “smart”; it’s accessible, and it looks brighter than ever!

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How You Can Help 

Make a gift that changes lives now and long into the future. Your donation supports the development and distribution of assistive technology for the most vulnerable among us. 

Your gift ensures that those who are most often overlooked receive the assistive tools and transformational research that improves their quality of life and wellbeing. Together, let’s bridge the gap between potential and opportunity. 

Will you join us as we build a future that includes everyone?