Adero Knott was born without her left hand, and she's seen the problems with today's prosthetic limbs: They're too pricey, not functional, and not aesthetically pleasing.
Knott wants to improve the quality of prosthetics, and make them easier to obtain, through her new startup AK Prosthetics. The company's first product, the AK Creator, is a "prosthetic limb vending machine" that will one day allow a person to scan their limb and create a 3D prosthetic device with a same day or next day turnaround.
The company, which is still in the idea phase, received a $5,000 investment from the Neighborhood Start Fund, a fund and pitch competition from rapper Lupe Fiasco and Di-Ann Eisnor, the head of growth at Google-owned traffic app Waze. Knott, 26, was one of a handful of Chicago entrepreneurs to get funded through the Neighborhood Start Fund last month. The founders have the chance to get additional funding and receive mentorship and support from Lupe and Eisnor.
Here's how the AK Creator will work: People will enter the machine and it will take a 3D scan of their limb. They will then be able to customize the type of prosthetic from inside the machine, giving people the ability to make a prosthetic that, for example, is built for rock climbing, or is designed so you can do your hair, Knott said. Once you make your selection, the information is sent to the 3D printer and the device arrives to your home in 1 to 2 days.
The idea is that the machines would be housed in rehabilitation centers, doctor's offices or on military bases, Knott said.
"It's all about making prosthetic limbs available to everyone," she said.
AK Prosthetics is currently Knott's side project. Her full-time job is at ActiveCampaign, a marketing automation company in Chicago, where she was recently hired as a business development rep. She got the job in part thanks to Re:Work, a free non-profit sales training program at Blue 1647 that helps minorities on Chicago's South and West sides land entry-level sales roles at Chicago tech companies. The goal of Re:Work is to help diversify Chicago's tech industry, founder Harrison Horan said, and Knott is an early example of the program's potential: During the 12-week program Knott learned Salesforce and other sales software, was interviewed by ActiveCampaign, and now has a full-time job with benefits.
Knott is the first person from Re:Work's pilot program to land a job, but Horan says he hopes to have an 80% placement rate from those in the program. Re:Work targets diverse candidates who don't have a college degree, offers sales training on the weekends for 12 weeks, and partners with local tech companies who agree to interview a select number of candidates from the program.
"It's time to look at alternatives for where we source talent in the tech industry. When I hear about (a lack of) diversity in the tech industry, typically it's because of a set of requirements for these entry level roles that are unrealistic for a lot of people who are diverse," Horan said. "I tire pretty quickly of recruiters talking about a lack of diverse candidates when we’re offering exactly that."
Applications for Re:Work's second cohort open December 5, and the class begins in February. Horan said he's looking to place between 8 and 10 people in the program. He said Chicago has the opportunity to be a leader when it comes to diversity in tech and believes programs like Re:Work are a step in the right direction.
"I’m really excited about creating a tech scene in Chicago, one that's more diverse," he said. "One that looks at different talent pools and actually brings the city together a little bit more ... We already have a better chance at it than, say, Silicon Valley, because we have a more diverse city."
As for Knott, she's going to be juggling both her full-time job and her work at AK Prosthetics. But don't expect the workload to be too much for her to handle.
"It’s all about how driven I am," she said. "You will never meet anyone as driven as Adero Knott."
Image via LinkedIn
