2027 Call for Applications
Applications close January 31st, 2027 at 11:59 pm EST.
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The Inclusive App Accelerator (IAA) supports the development and launch of accessible smartphone apps that improve health and function, community living and participation, or employment for people with disabilities. Selected applicants (awardees) receive professional app development services and business coaching to develop and launch their apps within one year of entering the program. Applicants may also request up to $10,000 for project activities beyond core app development.
Project Goals
Our primary goal is to develop and distribute at least 20 mobile apps over five years averaging four mobile applications per year.
We are committed to a development process that prioritizes user-centered, accessibility-first design principles while embracing an iterative approach that ensures continuous improvement and responsiveness to user feedback. Our framework ensures that our project and apps remain adaptable and relevant, addressing current needs while anticipating and adapting to future technological advancements.
Key Dates
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Application Deadline | January 31st, 2027, 11:59 pm EST |
| Award Notification | March 15th, 2027 |
| Anticipated IAA Program Start Date* | May 1st, 2027 |
* Note: This does not necessarily mean you will begin working on your application on that date. Team start times will be staggered to ensure each team receives the full focus of our collaborating organizations.
Who should apply?
- Eligible Applicants: U.S.-based organizations and individuals may apply, including persons with disabilities, nonprofit organizations, academic institutions, family members, clinicians, and industry professionals. Applicants must be willing to collaborate with persons with disabilities and the IAA team using inclusive design processes.
- Eligible App Concept: Proposed apps must be intended for direct use by persons with disabilities to support health and function, community living and participation, or employment. Apps intended solely for caregivers or service providers are not eligible.
- Development Stage: Applicants may apply with a new app concept, an existing prototype, or an app they wish to improve or expand. Coding experience and a working prototype are not required. Applicants proposing a new app concept are expected to have identified the intended users, the unmet need, and proposed solution; completed some preliminary engagement with people from the intended user population; and developed initial materials such as preliminary content, to demonstrate how their concept could be developed into a functional app.
App Development Requirements
IAA aims to develop and launch accessible smartphone apps within one year. While applicants do not need a working prototype or coding experience, essential external technologies, hardware, content, and partnerships that their apps depend on must already be available or have a credible plan to be ready before the program begins. IAA will support the design, development, testing, and launch of the mobile app during the program.
- App Development: The IAA App Development Team will lead accessible, user-centered app design and development. Applicants with their own developers may undertake some or all development and receive targeted support from IAA in areas such as UX/UI design, accessibility review, usability feedback, or technical guidance.
- Platform Support: IAA generally aims to support app development and launch on both iOS and Android. However, a single-platform launch may be considered when justified by the needs of intended users, technical requirements, or the feasibility of development within the one-year program.
- Technology and Hardware Integration: If the app depends on external technologies, such as AI or machine learning (ML) models (including those developed by the applicant), software platforms, databases, or physical devices, these components should already be sufficiently developed and available for integration or have a credible plan to reach that stage before the program begins. IAA may support integration with existing technologies if feasible, but does not undertake development of new AI/ML models, hardware, or complex backend systems. Standard app backend components, such as user accounts, basic databases, and cloud storage, may be developed when feasible.
- Content and Partnerships: If the app requires educational content, information databases, or external partnerships to function, these essential resources and collaborations should already be established or have a credible plan for completion or establishment before the program begins.
How the Program Works
Awardees will collaborate with the IAA App Development Team, Business Support Team, and consumers with disabilities to develop and launch their app within one year through three stages.
Awardees will work with the IAA teams and target users with disabilities to validate the app concept, finalize essential features, and develop initial designs and plans for the MVP.
The App Development Team will lead or support app development, incorporating user feedback, accessibility evaluations, and usability testing to refine the MVP.
Awardees will work with the IAA teams to launch their apps on the agreed platform(s) and implement marketing and adoption strategies to reach intended users.
Throughout all three stages, awardees will participate in business development activities, including the Idea 2 IMPACT coursework, business planning, pitch development, and marketing preparation, with guidance from the Business Support Team.
What IAA Program Provides
Selected applicants (awardees) receive professional app development services, business development support, and the opportunity to request additional project funding to help develop and launch their apps within one year.
The IAA App Development Team is a professional software agency specializing in accessibility-first, inclusive app design and development. Depending on the awardee’s existing development resources, the team will lead or provide targeted support for:
- MVP Definition and Design: Collaborating with awardees and target users with disabilities to define the minimum viable product (MVP), finalize core features, and design the app’s user experience and interface (UX/UI).
- App Development and Refinement: Building and refining the app through iterative development and user feedback.
- App Testing and Improvement Guidance: Advising awardees on conducting app testing with consumers with disabilities and evaluating the feasibility of proposed improvements and additional features.
- Accessibility and Usability Testing: Coordinating independent accessibility audits and usability testing with people with disabilities who use different assistive technologies, accessibility settings, and operating systems, and addressing critical issues identified during the remediation round.
- App Launch: Supporting the launch of the completed app on the Apple App Store and/or Google Play Store, depending on the agreed MVP scope.
- Post-Launch Maintenance: Providing one year of limited maintenance support for operating system updates following the app launch. Awardees have the option to enter separate contracts with the App Development Team for further support or continuous feature development.
The IAA Business Support Team at the University of Pittsburgh leads project coordination and guides awardees through the business development process to prepare their apps for launch, adoption, and long-term sustainability. The team provides guidance, resources, and feedback in the following areas:
- Project Coordination: Conducting regular mandatory check-ins to monitor progress, address challenges, and coordinate activities among awardees and IAA teams.
- Customer Discovery and User Engagement: Advising awardees in conducting accessible customer discovery, usability, and accessibility testing and analyzing results to inform app development and business planning.
- Business Planning and Pitch Development: Supporting awardees in completing the Idea 2 IMPACT coursework and developing their business model, business plan, and pitch deck.
- Marketing and Adoption: Guiding awardees in developing marketing plans, creating promotional materials, and implementing outreach strategies to reach target users and promote app adoption.
- App Usage and Impact Evaluation: Assisting awardees in developing plans to monitor app downloads, user retention, reviews, and other indicators of app adoption and use.
Awardees may receive up to $10,000 for project activities beyond core app development services provided by IAA. Allowable expenses include:
- Personnel time for user engagement and app testing
- Participant or advisory reimbursements
- Business planning, marketing, and outreach activities
- App hosting and other operating costs during development and launch
What Awardees Are Expected to Do
Awardees are expected to actively participate in app development and business development activities throughout the one-year program. Key responsibilities include:
- Program Participation: Attend scheduled check-ins, collaborate with the IAA App Development and Business Support Teams, and complete assigned activities and deliverables on time.
- Coursework and Business Development: Complete the mandatory “Idea 2 IMPACT: An Introduction to Translating Assistive Health Technologies and Other Products” course within the first month of entering the program, if not already completed before program entry. Completion within this timeframe is required to maintain program eligibility. Participate in business planning, pitch development, marketing activities, and adoption planning, including completing required worksheets and deliverables.
- User Engagement and App Testing: Gather and analyze requirements from target users with disabilities, participate in defining the MVP, and conduct prototype testing with target users to assess accessibility and usability and inform app improvements.
- App Launch and Management: Create and manage developer accounts for the applicable app store(s) and acknowledge NIDILRR and IAA support in the app and its marketplace descriptions.
- Post-Launch Reporting: Monitor and report key app usage metrics identified by the IAA team, including but not limited to app downloads, user retention, and reviews, annually through August 2029.
Application Guide
Click below to download the full application guide including detailed scoring criteria.
Submissions
The application must be submitted via the online portal below by January 31st, 2027 at 11:59 pm EST.
Questions?
For questions about eligibility, application requirements, or the submission process, please contact our team at llm65@pitt.edu or miz30@pitt.edu.
FAQ
- If prior work has been completed, do we need to provide an example? If prior work has been completed, please upload any visual examples of existing work, images or supporting documents of the solution mentioned in 5b.
- Are references required? If you have any references, you may provide them in the last field of the application. We encourage references that support the problem you are trying to solve and your work.
- Does the application have a word count? There is no word count on the application; we encourage answers to directly address the questions asked in each field.
- Can an applicant be listed on more than one proposal? Yes an applicant can be included on more than one proposal.