Disabilities come in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes physical, sometimes mental; Sometimes noticeably viable, sometimes not. Whether it be hard of hearing or seeing, or having mobility and movement limitations, 15% of the world's population have some sort of disability that limits their day-to-day functioning. Unfortunately, along with their other difficulties, accessing the online world is just another hardship for many disabled people, as most websites were not designed with those with disabilities in mind. Often, people with disabilities use different tools to operate their computers and consume content online, such as screen readers and special keyboards. But most websites were built for mouse and touch screen use, and not these other tools. And so, the problem of internet accessibility continues to affect massive populations. Israeli startup accessiBe wants to change that.
Internet accessibility through education and technology
AccessiBe has developed technological solutions and offers services to make websites more accessible to all. They provide a wide range of accessibility solutions in various fields, from widgets for website accessibility to media accessibility tools, documents, projects, and even a free product that checks website accessibility. The company's vision is to enable every company and business, large or small, to make their digital assets accessible to the population of people living with disabilities and to provide them with the highest user experience.
In a conversation with Geektime, Dekel Skoop, Co-CEO and Co-Founder of accessiBe explained, “As previous owners of digital advertising and development agencies, we experienced firsthand how complex it is to make websites accessible. We wanted to democratize the process so that every business, no matter its size, budget, or knowledge, could participate in the inclusion revolution and make its digital assets accessible to everyone.”
AccessiBe has had tremendous YoY growth in recurring revenue, registered a 100% increase in its services last year, and doubled its human resources. Notable customers who use accessiBe include OREO, General Electric, BMW, and Dolce & Gabbana to name a few. To date, the company's solutions have been installed on over 160,000 sites worldwide.
Yesterday (Sunday), accessiBe announced the closure of another $30 million in an extension of its Series A funding round. This funding was led by K1 Investments with participation from Glilot Capital and Phoenix. The additional capital raised will be used to support the growth of the company and the development of technological solutions. It will also support the launch of additional services. Thanks to the funding, accessiBe can continue to be the one-stop shop for making websites accessible to people living with disabilities.
AccessiBe was founded in 2018 by Shir Ekerling (co-CEO), Dekel Skoop (co-CEO), and Gal Vizel (CRO). They currently employ 140 people in offices in Tel Aviv and New York. To date, they have raised $58 million.
