Nearly 10 years spent working to ensure prosthetic limbs are accessible to and inclusive of underrepresented communities have landed a Chicago woman a grant she intends to use to develop a bike adapter for amputees.
AfroTech tells the story of Adero Knott, whose AK Prosthetics is the recipient of the first BIPOC Inventors Grant from Project Cover. Knott identifies as a congenital below-elbow amputee, making this a personal cause for her.
Venture Capitalist Arlan Hamilton with her Project Cover became involved after Knott tagged her in an Instagram image and headline, “Black Disabled Woman Develops App That Makes Customized Prosthetics Covid-Proof For Amputees.”
“Thank you for believing in me, @arlanwashere,” Knott posted on Instagram.
Hamilton, who also gave Knott guidance and mentorship, said in the AfroTech article: “I was drawn in by Adero’s passion, overwhelming talent and vision, and her grit. She always seems to be in forward motion and will not stop until her arrow hits the target.”
Knott is at work on the bike adapter.
“While conducting market research and surveys for my app idea,” she said in a Medium post, “I decided to put myself out there and made a post on Instagram. Shortly after, Arlan DM’ed saying she wanted to meet me, and the rest was history.”