The halls of the United Nations Office in Vienna were quiet for a moment. Then applause. Another Scaling Fellow had just completed their pitch — a five-minute story that carried years of work, conviction, and hope. For us at Inclusive Creation, that moment captured the essence of what this programme is really about.

Every year, the Zero Project Conference gathers global leaders, innovators, and changemakers in the field of disability inclusion. #ZeroCon25 wasn’t just a calendar event. It was a stage for reflection, for honest conversation, and for showcasing the possibility of a more inclusive world.

As a facilitating partner of the Scaling Solutions Programme, Inclusive Creation walks alongside a group of exceptional innovators — the Scaling Fellows — through a year-long journey of growth, adaptation, and learning. This year’s cohort of 14 Fellows represents some of the most compelling disability innovations we’ve seen. And our role is to support, challenge, and uplift them every step of the way.

What is the Scaling Solutions Programme?

The Scaling Solutions Programme, led by Zero Project and powered by the funding partners: Essl Foundation, Fundación Descúbreme, GIZ on behalf of BMZ, EnAble India, ATOS, and Inclusive Creation, supports disability innovations that are ready to expand into new markets. These are not early-stage ideas or pilots. These are tested, impactful initiatives seeking to grow their footprint thoughtfully and sustainably.

The programme offers more than technical assistance — it provides strategic companionship. Fellows receive tailored consultations, access to the networks of the Zero Project and our funding partners, access to experienced Advisors, learning content, and a dedicated space to build the Scaling Portfolio, a personalized roadmap for regional/global expansion. This is the core deliverable of the programme — a practical, action-oriented strategy co-developed between the Fellows, Partners and our team at Inclusive Creation.

What We Do as a Facilitating Partner

Our work begins the moment Fellows are selected. We onboard them, listen carefully to their goals, and map a support journey that fits their pace and ambition. The support isn’t uniform — it flexes based on the context and needs of each initiative. Supporting the Fellows means walking with them, through moments of uncertainty, of breakthroughs, of decisions both large and small. Here’s what our role looks like in action:

On-Demand Consultations – One-on-one strategic sessions that help Fellows make informed decisions, refine approaches, or troubleshoot barriers.
Instructional Videos – A curated set of practical learning resources that cover core topics like budgeting, legal protections, international IP, and project management essentials.
Public Webinars – Themed sessions open to the broader community, focusing on the Latin American CSO ecosystem. These include Fellow interventions and regional insights.
Advisor Network – Each Fellow is matched with an experienced advisor who brings expertise, perspective, and often, powerful connections.
Progress Tracking – Through Slack, weekly check-ins, and monthly calls, we ensure visibility and responsiveness throughout the year.
Pitch Training Bootcamp – A two-day immersive experience to craft, rehearse, and refine the final pitch delivered at #ZeroCon25. It’s storytelling, strategy, and support rolled into one.
Scaling Portfolio Development – Co-created with each Fellow, this portfolio becomes their strategic blueprint for scaling — tailored to local realities and regional opportunities.

Meeting the Fellows

This year’s Fellows work across multiple sectors — education, AI, assistive tech, inclusive employment, and more. But what they share is a deep understanding of the communities they serve, and a commitment to building dignified, scalable impact.

Here’s a glimpse at who they are:

PanQAyuda (Peru) – Inclusive employment and food products using cricket flour. [Visit Website]
CIDIP / App Morada (Chile) – Digital advocacy for women with disabilities. [Visit Website]
Happybots (Netherlands) – Emotional support robots for individuals with psychosocial disabilities. [Visit Website]
Gudgudee (India) – Inclusive play spaces and sensory-friendly design. [Visit Website]
MIGAM (Poland) – Real-time AI-based sign language avatars. [Visit Website]
DISQ (India) – Social innovation incubator driving inclusive entrepreneurship. [Visit Website]
Nayi Disha (India) – Digital support platform for families of people with developmental disabilities. [Visit Website]
TOM: Tikkun Olam Makers (Israel/global) – Open-source assistive tech created by maker communities. [Visit Website]
Incluyeme.com (Argentina/regional) – Employment platform for people with disabilities in Latin America. [Visit Website]
Humanos 3D (Colombia) – 3D-printed prosthetics for underserved populations. [Visit Website]
Edudown (Chile) – Inclusive education for children with Down syndrome. [Visit Website]
DeafTawk (Pakistan) – Real-time sign language interpretation services. [Visit Website]
Equivalent SVG (Germany) – Smart SVG technology for accessible web graphics. [Visit Website]
Tai Tanzania (Tanzania) – Multimedia storytelling to foster inclusion and youth empowerment. [Visit Website]

One of many powerful moments for us was during the pitch preparation of CIDIP. As they refined how to introduce App Morada’s impact, they shifted from statistics to story. They shared what it meant — emotionally, practically — for a woman with disabilities to access the platform. It was quiet after that pitch run. Just quiet enough to feel what was at stake.

The Experience at ZeroCon25

#ZeroCon25 was not just the culmination of a year’s work — it was a powerful reset. Inside the UN’s meeting rooms, Fellows pitched their solutions. Around them, advisors, governments, and funders leaned in. Some nodded. Some scribbled notes. Others smiled. These moments — small gestures of recognition — meant everything.

For the Fellows, it was a test of preparation and poise. For our team, it was a reminder of why personalized support matters. The stories that landed best weren’t always the most polished — they were the most honest.

What It Means for Us

The connections formed through the Scaling Solutions Programme aren’t temporary. One of the strengths of the initiative lies in the communities it cultivates. Each Fellow joins the Scaling Solutions Workspace — a dedicated Slack space for cross-Fellow collaboration, idea exchange, and mutual support. It’s where introductions lead to partnerships, and where many discover that they’re not alone in the challenges they face.

This ecosystem continues to grow even after the programme ends. Fellows become part of our Alumni Network, maintaining access to the shared space and staying connected to peers, advisors, and the broader community. Likewise, the Circle of Advisors has its own dedicated space, allowing advisors to interact, share opportunities, and provide cross-cutting support across sectors and regions.

Our engagement doesn’t stop when the pitches are over. We keep in touch — checking in after six months, again after a year, always looking to understand what support is still needed and where momentum is building. For us, scaling is not a moment, but a movement — and we’re in it for the long term.

Being part of this programme reshapes us, too. We grow alongside the Fellows. Each conversation pushes us to think beyond best practices and into lived experience. Each scaling strategy becomes a mirror, reflecting not just opportunity, but the care and complexity required to scale responsibly.

In Closing

We’re deeply grateful to our programme partners: Fundación Descúbreme, GIZ, EnAble India, ATOS, the Essl Foundation, and the Zero Project team. Your shared commitment makes this work possible.

Earlier this year, we also contributed to the 2025 Zero Project Report, "Scaling Innovations: Strategies That Work", authored by Dr. Michael Fembek and Friedrich Ruhm. Our reflections were a small part of a larger conversation on what it really takes to grow disability innovation across regions — and we’re honoured to be part of that global dialogue. Check out the report here.

To our Fellows: thank you for trusting us with your vision.

To our community: let’s keep building what comes next.

We’re already looking ahead to the next cohort — the 2025/26 Scaling Fellows — and we can’t wait to meet them.

A Look Inside the Scaling Solutions Programme at #ZeroCon25