Claire Given never realised that joining Joe Wicks in an online workout would change her life and potentially millions of other people.
The mother-of-two was born with one arm but has never let her disability hold her back.
鈥淚f anything, it鈥檚 made me more determined,鈥� she told 老九品茶Cloud.
The entrepreneur launched her business Equipmii during Covid 聽whilst isolating with her family and has just been included in the 50 winners of the Innovate UK Women in Innovation Awards.
She explained: 鈥淚 was at home with my husband and two little ones – a one-year-old and a three-year-old – while managing two intense work programs.
鈥淟ike many people, I turned to exercise to stay sane, doing Joe Wicks鈥� workouts with the kids.
鈥淏ut I started to worry – was I doing more harm than good? So many exercises required equal balance across both hands.
鈥淚 searched for adaptive fitness products but found nothing. It was isolating and frustrating.
鈥淩ather than feeling sorry for myself, I decided to fix the problem.
鈥淒rawing from my experience working with engineers, I designed two adaptive products – one that helped me do yoga and even a handstand, something I never thought I鈥檇 achieve.
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鈥淭he best part? Some of the GB Paralympics team used them too. That鈥檚 when I realised it wasn鈥檛 just my problem.鈥�
Given found that half of disabled people in the UK felt mainstream brands didn’t consider their needs in product design and over 90 per cent said product descriptions lacked essential details.
鈥淚magine you have one hand, or you鈥檙e a wheelchair user, and you鈥檝e just had a baby. You need a pram,鈥� she said. 鈥淒o you think the design or product description has considered your needs? Sadly, the answer is ‘no’.鈥�
Before setting her business up, the Bournemouth University graduate ran a Europe-wide programme for the Raspberry Pi Foundation and the European Space Agency.
鈥淭he skills I developed there helped pave the way for Equipmii,鈥� she said.
鈥淚 also worked for Bupa Healthcare and ran my own social enterprise.
鈥淓ach of these experiences shaped my ability to build something that could make a real impact.鈥�
Equipmii is now building a product-matching engine powered by the lived experiences of thousands of people with physical impairments.
It is currently onboarding companies interested in testing its technology for its launch in Q3 2025.
On being included in the UK Women in Innovation Awards, Given said: 鈥淚t was incredible. To be recognised alongside so many inspiring women was a huge honour.
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鈥淭he financial support from the award is helping us build V2 of our matching engine and scale our business.
鈥淲e鈥檙e on a mission to make a real impact on both the economy and society.鈥�
The awards, which attracted 1,452 applications from female-founded and female-led businesses, gave 50 successful applicants 拢75,000 to develop their ideas.
They will also receive personalised business coaching and access to networking, role modelling and training opportunities.
The project has been set up in an attempt to promote more female-led businesses.
As a female founder, Given said: 鈥淚t鈥檚 not easy. It takes relentless drive, and you have to be able to pick yourself up after every setback.
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鈥淔inding the right team and investors who share your vision and values is crucial. When you do, it makes all the difference.鈥�
Despite there being downsides to the job role, the tech boss added: 鈥淚 love building something from the ground up – taking an idea, testing, refining, and then bringing it to market. That part of being a founder is amazing.鈥�
Growing up with one arm, Given surrounded herself with people who 鈥榮aw her for who she was鈥�, admitting that her experiences have made her a good judge of character.
She shared her tips for other female founders and those aspiring to start their own business.
鈥淭rust yourself. In the early days, you鈥檒l get a lot of advice – some good, some not,鈥� she said.
鈥淵ou know your product better than anyone. Listen, consider the input, but ultimately, you decide what鈥檚 right.
鈥淏uild a strong support network, and don鈥檛 forget to look after yourself.
鈥淏urnout is real, and maintaining a work-life balance is essential for the long game.鈥�