Above: Access Quest founder Tim Young.
For many disabled and older people, things like steep paths, missing crossings, or not enough toilets and seats can be enough to keep them at home.
Hamilton startup Access Quest is aiming to change that with technology that makes travel safer and more accessible.
“Having navigated countless challenges while travelling the world as a tetraplegic, I wanted to turn my personal experience into something useful,” says founder Tim Young.
Tailor to your needs
Drawing on his background as a researcher, app developer and CEO, he created an app called Smart Access that highlights barriers and provides personalised routes.
The app offers turn-by-turn directions tailored to a user’s specific needs. Unlike competitors that only assess venues, Access Quest maps the infrastructure itself – footpaths, crossings, gradients and obstacles – helping people explore new places with confidence.
From wheelchair to world-changing tech
While Smart Access helps individuals navigate their surroundings, the company has also developed affordable carts helping councils improve access for those with mobility issues.
These carts enable councils to gather better data, prioritise spending and survey their cities more comprehensively and frequently.
A team of ten walking for three hours can cover 150 kilometres – enough to map a third of a smaller city in a single outing.
Councils can then sign up to the Tagging Platform to gain access to the full 40 features as well as Footpath Condition surveys.
So far, around fifteen councils across New Zealand and Australia have adopted Smart Access navigation, alongside a national organisation using it on their trails.
A city in the North Island is also preparing to roll it out across their district, and the technology is already being trialled in Sydney.
Today, the company is profitable and midway through an angel investment round to scale further. Globally, there are around 80 councils in New Zealand and more than 500 in Australia, with countless more opportunities abroad.
