India, wake up! An Assistive Technology market awaits to be tapped

Two billion people is the number of people who are going to need at least 1 assistive product by 2030, with many older people needing 2 or more. This is the prediction made by the World Health Organization (WHO)

- Anusha Ashwin

The fact is that today, only 1 in 10 people in need have the required access to assistive products. In India, the need for our geriatric and our physically challenged population is much more than predicted.

WHO defines Assistive technology or AT as an umbrella term covering the systems and services related to the delivery of assistive products and services that aim at improving an individual’s functioning and independence, thereby promoting better well-being in their life. Not only that, the availability of ATs instil a large sense of inclusivity and provide equal opportunities for the needy in society.

India, dominated by an aging population and with the rise in several non-communicable diseases, has a ‘totally available market’ for its potential startups and innovators to foray into the AT space. Integrating smart digital technology into AT will, no doubt, be the icing on the cake. The market value expectedly triples with the scope it provides in India for both domestic uses as well as for export purposes. But it’s unfortunate that this space is less forayed in India, with very limited innovations and product development, thereby mismatching the volume of requirements.