CEO, Activist, Entrepreneur
Maayan Ziv is an activist, photographer, and entrepreneur. In 2015, she launched AccessNow, a mobile app, and website, that collects and shares information about the accessibility status of
places worldwide. What began as a response to her frustration when trying to navigate
inaccessible places, AccessNow soon grew to become a mission-oriented social start-up.
Within just a couple of years, AccessNow has vocalized a movement for inclusion, inviting people of all abilities to contribute to the platform. As CEO of AccessNow, Maayan has created a
powerful shift in thinking about the importance of accessibility in our world, from accessible
technologies to infrastructure, public policy, media, and communications. To date, AccessNow has shared accessibility information in over 35 countries.
An influential public speaker who is often in the media, Maayan collaborates with private sector companies as well as government and not-for-profit organizations. She inspires leaders dedicated to raising the profile of accessibility for all. On August 1, 2019, the Government of Canada announced a $2.7M investment in AccessNow to focus on technical development, growth, and scale.