For Timothy Balz, the co-founder and CEO of Kalogon, a startup focused on wheelchair innovation, his experience at SpaceX served not as a pinnacle of success, but as a foundational step for a larger purpose. “I joined SpaceX to gain the skills needed to revolutionize the wheelchair sector,” Balz shared with Observer during this year’s SXSW. His role involved engineering the thermal protection system for the Starship project.
Balz’s passion for mobility solutions traces back to his high school days, where he started a nonprofit named Freedom Chairs aimed at refurbishing and distributing powered wheelchairs. This initiative was sparked by witnessing a classmate unable to use a powered chair due to insurance limitations. In response, Balz crafted a custom wheelchair for him.
“I bartered a moped on Craigslist for a wheelchair and modified it to meet his needs,” Balz recalled. He enhanced the chair with a sound system, adjustable leg rests, a joystick modification, and even a trailer hitch to enable his friend to engage in the school’s recycling initiatives.
Fast forward fifteen years, and both technology and Balz have evolved significantly. While interning at Intel, he created the first connected wheelchair utilizing the company’s technology, which received accolades from none other than Stephen Hawking. In 2019, he founded Kalogon to design intelligent seating systems aimed at enhancing comfort in wheelchair users, minimizing pressure injuries, and assisting seated professionals like pilots.
Kalogon’s groundbreaking technology adjusts in real-time to the user’s body dynamics, redistributing pressure points to mimic the health benefits associated with standing. Its primary products—the Orbiter Med and Orbiter for Aviation—are already operational in both clinical and commercial environments. An accompanying app allows healthcare providers to customize settings based on individual medical needs that the device may not automatically recognize, such as pelvic imbalances or amputations. The system utilizes A.I. technology, removing the necessity for manual adjustments and conventional air pumps.
Balz is not merely refining wheelchair design; he is expanding the possibilities for their users. Take John Miller, for example, an early adopter who experienced a severe pressure injury following a spinal cord incident. Previously limited to just a few hours in his chair each day, Kalogon’s technology has enabled him to remain comfortable for up to 16 hours. This newfound freedom allowed him to reconnect with his community, embark on road trips to visit his grandchildren, garden, cycle, attend physical therapy, and even relearn how to walk. He now uses a cane.
“While we didn’t restore his ability to walk, we empowered him to reintegrate into his community and reclaim his purpose, ultimately creating the opportunity for activities that contributed to his walking again,” Balz explained.
Challenges in Disability Tech Investment
Despite its innovative potential, Kalogon faced initial hurdles in attracting investors. “At first, I struggled to even gain a meeting,” Balz recounted. Many investors held the misconception that wheelchair technology lacked widespread appeal, even though approximately 5.5 million Americans rely on wheelchairs.
Diego Mariscal, CEO and co-founder of 2Gether-International (2GI), the largest startup accelerator for disabled entrepreneurs, expressed optimism during the SXSW event. “As people age and technology advances, it’s clear that disability is an integral aspect of life,” he stated. Mariscal, who has cerebral palsy, considers himself the “chief disabled person” of his organization (which does not invest in Kalogon).
Balz hopes that Kalogon’s achievements will help reshape investor perceptions. “When I can return to them with proof that they missed out on significant returns due to their biases, it’s a powerful statement,” he remarked, suggesting the potential value Kalogon could have today if it were to seek a buyer. “Now, we’re paving the way for other startups that didn’t fail due to a lack of market or product quality, but because of preconceived notions.”
As major corporations like Apple and Meta introduce accessible technologies—such as AirPods that double as clinical-grade hearing aids and Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses—Mariscal sees both opportunities and challenges ahead. He emphasized that the flawed incentive structures within the U.S. healthcare system often do not adequately address the needs of those with disabilities.
According to Mariscal, a fundamental principle in the disability rights movement is “nothing about us without us,” underscoring the necessity of including the disability community in all decision-making processes. He advocates for a fresh approach that marries innovation with sustained advocacy. His nonprofit accelerator currently supports 700 disabled entrepreneurs and is in the process of establishing a dedicated venture capital fund for founders with disabilities. Despite the ongoing challenges in achieving diversity, equity, and inclusion, Mariscal remains hopeful about the advancements made in this arena.
He believes that the startup mentality, as exemplified by Kalogon, can drive meaningful change when combined with continuous advocacy efforts. With significant progress already achieved, Mariscal is confident that there is no turning back on the strides taken to support individuals with disabilities.
