Accomable was an accessible travel startup that helped disabled people find and book adapted holiday accommodation worldwide online. Founded by Srin Madipalli and Martyn Sibley, two childhood friends who have

Spinal Muscular Atrophy Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a rare neuromuscular disorder that results in the loss of motor neurons and progressive muscle wasting. It is usually diagnosed in infancy or early childhood and if left untreated it is the most common genetic ...

, the company was based in London, and was acquired by

Airbnb Airbnb, Inc. ( ), based in San Francisco, California, operates an online marketplace focused on short-term homestays and experiences. The company acts as a broker and charges a commission from each booking. The company was founded in 2008 b ...

in 2017.

Background

Accomable listed holiday accommodations with a range of accessibility features, including step-free entry, roll-in showers, hoists, height-adjustable beds and other equipment for guests with disabilities. Accomable CEO and co-founder, Srin Madipalli, developed the concept for Accomable in 2011 while travelling on a six month break from his City law job in London. Madipalli quit his law job and enrolled as an MBA at Saïd Business School (2013) where he developed an interest in tech and startups. The site was launched in the summer of 2015.

Developments

In May 2016, Accomable secured £300,000 seed funding from undisclosed private investors. The company also received a grant from the Skoll Centre for Entrepreneurship based at

Oxford University Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

, where Mr Madipalli did his MBA, via an initiative to support ventures that deliver social impact. An Accomable documentary short film was shortlisted at the 2015 UN Enable Film Festival in New York.

Airbnb acquisition

In 2017,

acquired Accomable for an undisclosed amount to improve accessibility across the platform. As part of the acquisition, Srin Madipalli joined Airbnb as Accessibility Product and Program Manager in San Francisco.

References

{{reflist, 2 2015 establishments in the United Kingdom Travel and holiday companies of the United Kingdom Disability organisations based in the United Kingdom