An off-road, ergonomic, and foldable wheelchair that grows with the child

The Cub Pediatric Wheelchair is an all-terrain, foldable, adjustable EU-certified medical chair that grows with the child. Priced $400–$454 with tiered discounts for low-income countries. Over 3,000 children in 40+ countries use it; plans include local assembly and wider scale-up.

Participant Assistive Products is a private company, headquartered in San Francisco, California, operating internationally to develop affordable assistive technology. Its Cub Pediatric Wheelchair project aims to provide adjustable, all-terrain wheelchairs for children with mobility disabilities. With a tiered pricing model offering significant discounts for low- and middle-income countries, annual distribution expanded from 200 units in 2022 to an estimated 4,500 in 2025, with repeat customers and doubling sales year over year.

Problems Targeted

Millions of children with mobility impairments lack high-quality, affordable wheelchairs that fit, grow with them, and function in rough terrains.

Solution, Innovation and Impact

The Cub Pediatric Wheelchair is an all-terrain, ergonomic, and foldable wheelchair for children, designed to meet mobility needs in both rough terrain and compact urban settings. Simple to use, lightweight, and quick to fold, it can be taken on public transport, stored in tight spaces, or carried when traveling. The Cub chair is an EU-certified medical device (CE-MDR) with an adjustable frame that grows with the child, extending its lifespan and reducing replacement costs. Priced between $400 and $454 depending on accessories, it is positioned as a versatile secondary wheelchair in high-income markets, while in low- and middle-income countries its tiered pricing model allows NGOs and public health systems to offer subsidies and discounts for distribution. Since its launch, Cub has been used by more than 3,000 children in 40 countries, with distribution expected to exceed 4,500 units in 2025. Plans are also underway to expand scaling through local assembly plants and distribution across low-income countries. The company has replicated the model with three other wheelchairs, which are also sold on a tiered pricing mode.

Funding, Outlook and Transferability

The Cub business model is based on gross margins of 22 percent for NGOs and 45 to 55 percent for sales to commercial distributors in high-income countries. Cub is produced with a contract manufacturer, Zhongjin Medical in Taizhou, China, meeting all international standards and audits. With sales doubling annually and global demand rising, Participant Assistive Products plans to establish three to five local factories in the Global South and further expand paediatric mobility solutions, and also plans to open small retail stores in strategic locations. Crowdfunding and equity from the Sorenson Impact Fund and others are funding the growth strategy. (#ZeroCall26)

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