A few months ago we received an unexpected phone call: they were two guys with a brilliant idea and a great desire to help others, by developing an app for accessible routes. We immediately became interested in their project and we want to tell you about it.

The app for accessible routes: what WeGlad is

The project is called WeGlad. It is an app developed to help people with motor difficulties or disabilities in their movements through three functions.

  • Navigator: by setting the starting point and destination and selecting the obstacles that you intend to avoid, WeGlad will show the most suitable path for your skills. It is also possible to identify accessible parking spaces and suitable public transport with related accessible stops. But not only. In fact, everyone can contribute by mapping obstacles, fixed or temporary, and sharing it with other users.
  • Structures mapping: on the app it is possible to identify the accessible facilities with their location and opening hours. In support, can be published photos of the entrance, to understand the accessibility, of the interiors, to see the relative maneuvering spaces, and of the toilet, to verify its usability. Users can confirm the data or add others to make the information on accessibility more objective.
  • Social network: the community is the basis of the app. The various users can in fact interact with each other to discuss paths, to share personal experiences, to give and ask for help and, why not, to make friends.

Who are the founders of WeGlad, the app for accessible routes?

The founders of the project are two boys from Turin, Italy, Paolo Bottiglieri and Petru Capatina, who had the idea following personal experiences in close contact with people in wheelchairs. First in the family and then in the workplace, the boys approached this reality and saw with their own eyes how many difficulties these people had to face every day. Or rather, these Gladiators, how the two boys see them. WeGlad is in fact the contraction of Welcome Gladiators, they explain;

“Gladiators who go down to the Arena of Life and who every day win battles against obstacles that shouldn’t exist, having difficulties they haven’t chosen. We often don’t realize how much 10 centimeters can translate into insurmountable walls ” – explains Capatina.

“Our goal is to get as many people as possible to notice this arena, which is often invisible. Entering it together as a community, which strives for the accessibility of all, is our responsibility!” – adds Bottiglieri.

Tired of seeing people in difficulty or unable to practice certain paths, they decided to make their contribution. Thus began an adventure in which the youngsters informed and documented themselves by traveling in Italy and Europe, in search of information. Eventually, they conceived and developed this Open Social Navigator. Yes, because in addition to being a navigator based on the social network, it is also open. This means that anyone can contribute by indicating any architectural barriers, inserting new routes or adding additional accessible places.

WeGlad, innovative start-up

WeGlad presents itself as a real innovation. It is now possible to speed up the movements of those people who often find themselves blocked due to obstacles or inadequate structures. It is also the first innovative start-up, with a social and Benefit vocation in Piedmont and among the first in Italy.

Max Application is proud to have supported this reality from the beginning as a lender. We hope that more and more companies and people will join the Arena.

Finally, if the altruism and generosity of the initiative weren’t enough, a Corporate Social Responsibility project was also conceived. The companies that participate can involve employees in an internal challenge that will bring the participants, who have enriched the app with information and mapping, to win a monetary voucher to be donated to non-profit entities of their choice. In short, a gain for everyone.

Where to find WeGlad, the app for accessible routes

The WeGlad app is already available for free on the Play Store and App Store. Users can then start downloading it and give their contribution by adding useful information for the community.