Mobility Mojo is an Irish startup on the rise. It has been called the ‘TripAdvisor for people with reduced mobility’. CEO and co-founder Stephen Cluskey discusses his journey to date.
What is Mobility Mojo?
Mobility Mojo is an award-winning platform that works like TripAdvisor but focuses on accessibility. We specialise in information around access for people with reduced mobility and those with additional access needs. Our mission is to mainstream accessibility globally.
How did you meet your co-founder?
By chance, I was pitching at an event with Social Entrepreneurs of Ireland focusing on accessible transport. Noelle, my co-founder, was pitching at the same event in regards to accessible accommodation. It seemed like a no-brainer for us to join forces, and it’s been the best decision I’ve ever made. I think we complement each other extremely well.
“One in two people with a disability won’t travel for fear of something going wrong.”
This isn’t your first business venture, how did your previous experiences shape your current business?
The previous businesses have been instrumental in helping figure things out. We learn so much more from our mistakes than any achievements and every day there are new lessons. I think if we even went back six months with Mobility Mojo, we would definitely change a few things but that’s like everything in life. I think the main lesson has been really prioritising the key parts of the business and dedicating all our focus to these. We are learning to say no as well, which is very important.
Why did you feel there was a market for Mobility Mojo?
Some of the statistics are startling. One in two people with a disability won’t travel for fear of something going wrong. Through the Mobility Mojo platform, we give people the confidence to go anywhere. This is the reason we exist, to change these perceptions and empower those with a disability.
“Through the Mobility Mojo platform, we give people the confidence to go anywhere.”
What does an average day look like?
The average day is never quite average. With a startup, there is always something to be done and interesting people to meet, or interesting places to go. It’s a whirlwind. I generally work from home in the mornings, as does Noelle, and we would usually plan our day over Skype. We try to arrange meetings in the office for the afternoons and the office is the perfect centre point for both of us.
How have you gone about marketing your company?
We were fortunate enough to have been able to launch on the Late Late Show back in April. We couldn’t have asked for a bigger platform. This was as part of a campaign we had around improving accessibility called Challenge Access and was a great success. Both I and Noelle are wheelchair users so our background tends to open up doors to the media because of our unique offering when we need it. We also won a place with the NDRC female founders program more than a year ago and they have helped us with so many aspects of the business, including marketing.
“I think there is a huge shift in attitudes towards disability but also the fact that we have an ageing population and one in every two people over the age of 65 has some form of a disability.”
Have you noticed a shift in attitude towards people with disabilities?
I think there is a huge shift in attitudes towards disability but also the fact that we have an ageing population and one in every two people over the age of 65 has some form of a disability. This is an issue which is only going to become more prevalent, especially with the strong relationship between old age and disability. We are trying to shift the focus around all this. There is a real business case for addressing this market, as well as the social aspect.
What do you think educational institutions can do to help budding entrepreneurs?
Supports are key, both in mentorship and financially, and we have been really fortunate with both. There were a couple of great programs with some of the colleges, where we had students placed with us in different areas of entrepreneurship and this really helped us. These partnerships help students get a first-hand view of the start-up environment and more of these programs would be hugely beneficial for both parties. Ireland is also one of the best places in the world to start a business.
