The LapSnap Production
How We Started
includesign began when engineer and includesign, LLC Co-Founder Diana Kamada was out with her friend and teacher, Professor Sarah Skeels, at Brown University. Sarah was eating an apple, and she is also a wheelchair user, so she needs both hands to maneuver around. Sarah tried to put the apple core on her lap, but it just kept rolling off. She eventually let Diana carry her trash for her, but it was clear she would have preferred to do it herself. That experience sparked Diana’s senior capstone project, which became the LapSnap.
The LapSnap is an adaptive, collapsible carryall that was designed with and for wheelchair users. Every step of product development was grounded in Human Centered Design. Input from actual wheelchair users made sure the finished product addressed the real problems they face daily while navigating an often inaccessible world.
The LapSnap was so successful that it needed to grow beyond a school project. Thus, includesign, LLC was born - a product design firm making products that empower people with disabilities. The LapSnap is the first of many adaptive products we plan to offer that are created inclusively with the disability community.
How It's Going
The LapSnap went into production after a successful Kickstarter campaign. Since the first LapSnaps were delivered in the summer of 2021, we have ordered a second production run to fill demand. We are also working on a line of adaptations to meet the needs of users with limited upper-limb mobility.
includesign and The LapSnap have received numerous awards and recognitions, including winning first place and $25,000 in The Future of Retail Pitch Competition through the SEED Immersion Program. They were also accepted into the David Eccles School of Business Masters of Business Creation program at the University of Utah.
Woman-Owned Business
Did you know that includesign is 100% woman-owned and operated? It’s true! We're also a disability-owned business, which makes our work very personal.
includesign loves to connect and collaborate with other businesses, but especially woman-owned and disability-owned ones. Do you know a business who would be a good partner? Let us know through our Contact Us page!
Made in America
When includesign was first exploring options for LapSnap production, we knew any supplier or manufacturer had to meet the following criteria:
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Made in the USA
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High quality
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Pay workers above minimum wage, especially if those workers have disabilities
It took some time, but we found companies that do all of that. The plastic base is produced by Snow Findings Co. right here in West Warwick, RI - our home state! The LapSnap’s metal frame comes to us from Automatic Specialties in Marlboro, MA, and our fabric is from Fabric Wholesale Direct in Farmingdale, NY. The soft-goods portion of The LapSnap is manufactured by Peckham Inc., in Lansing, MI.
Peckham Inc.
Peckham Inc is a nonprofit vocational rehabilitation organization. That means they provide job training opportunities to people with significant disabilities or other barriers to employment so they can experience an inclusive and meaningful work environment. To date, they have supported over 2,500 team members who face barriers to employment.
Not all of their employees have disabilities, but those who do may need support for physical, cognitive, or behavioral conditions. Most importantly, Peckham pays all employees above minimum wage and they are also a participating organization in the AbilityOne Program, a product and services sourcing program for the federal government.
