Corien Staels Takes Innovation to New Heights: Young entrepreneur creates a solution to age-old problem faced by millions of wheelchair users worldwide

Corien Staels is a young inventor and entrepreneur. A Belgian native, Corien is currently working on an Entrepreneurship Masters at the University of Glasgow following a Management undergraduate degree at the Amsterdam Fashion Institute. After an eye-opening conversation with her course supervisor, who expressed the various issues with temperature inconsistencies experienced by wheelchair users, Corien was inspired to invent a warming and cooling pad to address this problem.

This encouraged her to become engaged with the problem, and figuring out a solution. She was also amazed, whilst researching and designing sports clothing (her specialty in the fashion industry), upon realising the very real gap in the market for people with disabilities. She felt driven to improve upon the lack of options, and thinks it’s time we start thinking more about the needs of people with disabilities.

Corien has many ambitious ideas for expanding her company, and increasing the exposure for her product. She is currently in contact with a women’s basketball wheelchair team, for guidance in testing. She would also like to hire an engineer to assist with design within her company and work alongside individuals in the orthopaedic industry, whilst continuing to create products for wheelchair users which will improve their quality of life.

Her future goals include launching an approved range of sportswear for Paralympic athletes, which will also assist with performance. She is looking to take the product & her company global, with her sights set on America in particular, where there is a huge demand for such products and many funding options are available.

She will start a fully funded Fellowship at the University of Glasgow after she finishes her Masters in two months, and hopes to launch the product next year.

It is evident that Corien has a tremendous passion and drive for assisting the needs of those who have disabilities. Although still at an early prototyping stage, her proposed heating & cooling pad has already proven popular with its target user.

Follow this link to visit Corien’s website

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