We had the opportunity to interview Mauricio Meza, the CEO of Komodo OpenLab, the creator of Tecla, an assistive device for people with disabilities.

Q. Can you tell us a bit about yourself and Komodo OpenLab? When was your company first launched?
A. The company was founded in November 2010. My co-founder, Jorge Silva, and I are biomedical engineers by background. We worked in the field of assistive technology for a decade before founding the company. Jorge researched and developed technology ranging from prosthetics to algorithms that control complex interfaces with simple inputs. I worked as a clinician along with physiotherapists and speech-language pathologists who recommend and prescribe technology to individuals with disabilities. We wanted to design a technology that would make the disabled more independent at home, school or at work, and created Komodo OpenLab to design that technology.

Q. What is Tecla and what was the initial inspiration for this product?"
A. Tecla is an assistive device for people with disabilities. Working in the industry we grew frustrated with the state of technology available for those with disabilities. Instead of benefiting from the latest changes in technology, they had to rely on expensive dedicated assistive devices that segregated them from their peers. Our initial goal was to make mobile devices as accessible as possible so that everyone could partake in technological advancements as they became available.

Q. What is the greatest achievement you feel your company has attained so far?
A. The greatest achievement is what our users can do when they have the right tools. We have a teenage user with Cerebral Palsy who lives in Ireland. after realizing the potential of mobile technology he learned to code, and with the help of Tecla,has since developed an app that helps people with speech impairments communicate. We have another user in Australia that makes amazing films that he edits and now films on his own. Most recently, he was able to control a drone via his smartphone and Tecla.

Q. Were there any major roadblocks along the way?
A. The main challenge is letting potential users know that our solution exists. The assistive technology market is not small, but it is fragmented (by geography, diagnosis, age group, etc). We can reach out to users when they are in touch with a clinician or an organization, but if they aren't, it is hard for us to reach them.

Q. Could you tell us a little bit about Tecla-e? What separates it from older versions of Tecla?
A. The previous version of Tecla, Tecla Shield, was a one-to-one connection device that allowed users to control their tablets or computers. This meant that a user needed a Tecla Shield for each Bluetooth device they wanted to control (phone, tablet, computer, etc). A single Tecla-e, on the other hand, can control up to 8 Bluetooth devices.

Tecla-e is also an internet-enabled device. This means users can control things like lights and plugs, thermostats, universal remote controls, and door locks, as long as they are WiFi connected; we’re bringing smart home technology to users who can benefit from them the most. The best part is that this integration with smart home devices can be simplified so users that may not be comfortable with a mobile devices can simply use accessible switches to control their light, TV, etc. without having to navigate multiple apps.

The last feature was created with caregivers and family members in mind. Tecla-e users can share their device information such as location, motion, temperature, light conditions. We believe that this give Tecla users loved ones increased peace of mind. 

Q. Where do you see Komodo OpenLab and Tecla in the future? What new features do you envision? Do you see Komodo OpenLab having products used by people without disabilities?
A. Our goal is to be the standard interface for people with disabilities. We want to continue improving Tecla's capabilities, and continue focusing on making life easier for the disabled. We believe that in the future Tecla will even be able to interact with public infrastructure such elevators and traffic lights. Right now we are helping people in their personal environment, but we want to help them in their public environment as well.

That being said, the data we will collect from our users and sensors could definitely be applied to smart home technology.

Q. Major companies like Amazon (AMZN), Apple (AAPL), and Google (GOOGL) are also developing features to help the disabled. What sets Tecla apart from features like Apple’s Assistive Touch? Are these threats to Tecla?
A. On the contrary, Tecla is the device that people with physical disabilities require to access all these built-in accessibility features. In fact, we work alongside some of these companies to test their features and give recommendations. With Tecla-e in particular we are taking a very broad approach by providing access to devices from all manufacturers.

Q. Is there any advice you’d give to other aspiring entrepreneurs?
A. Put the product in the hands of customers as soon as possible so you can get feedback. What you think should work might not necessarily be what customers need or want.

Q. What kind of traction have you gained since launching?
A. We have over 3,000 thousand users in 33 countries. In Canada, we have a partnership with Bell, one of the 3 biggest carriers in the industry. They subsidize Tecla, and promote it to potential customers with disabilities.

Q. Are you currently raising capital? If so, how can interested investors learn more?
A. We are. After spending two years developing Tecla-e, we are now focused on scaling and expanding our sales and marketing efforts. If there are interested investors they can reach us at mauricio@kmo.do to get more information, or through AngelList.

Q. Is there anything else you would like to share with our audience?
A. Just to think about the importance of accessibility. A lot of technology we use every day was originally developed for people with disabilities. For example, email and text messages were developed to help people with hearing impairments, and optical character recognition (OCR) was developed to help people with visual impairments to read. Anything we create should have a more inclusive design, and allow for multiple interaction types.