Small businesses working in prosthetics, orthotics, rehabilitation, assistive technology and disability inclusion may have a new global funding opportunity to consider.
Global Citizen has partnered with PayPal for the second year of the Global Citizen and PayPal Small Business Impact Awards, a programme designed to recognise small businesses that are creating positive social or environmental impact in their communities.
For 2026, the awards will spotlight 15 small business owners, with each selected recipient receiving USD 20,000, along with tools, resources and support intended to help them scale their impact. Applications are open now and close on 19 July 2026 at 8:00 PM ET.
The programme is aimed at independent small businesses that are already contributing to their communities. According to Global Citizen, eligible applicants include business owners or founders with under 50 employees or under USD 1 million in annual revenue, operating for at least three years, and actively creating community impact. Franchises and chain-affiliated businesses are not eligible.
For the prosthetics and orthotics sector across the Middle East, Africa, Central Asia and South Asia, this type of award could be relevant to a wide range of mission-driven enterprises. These may include small businesses producing lower-cost prosthetic components, orthotic devices, diabetic foot solutions, adaptive footwear, rehabilitation equipment, paediatric mobility aids, digital fabrication services, assistive technology platforms or inclusive employment solutions.
Many O&P and rehabilitation businesses in emerging markets operate with a strong social purpose but limited growth capital. They may be serving users who cannot afford high-cost imported devices, supporting rural outreach, developing local manufacturing capacity, training technicians, or improving access for children and adults with disabilities. A USD 20,000 award could help such businesses invest in equipment, staff training, digital systems, product development, outreach or quality improvement.
The timing is important. Across the IMEA region, demand for rehabilitation and assistive technology continues to grow, driven by conflict-related injury, road traffic accidents, diabetes, ageing populations, stroke, neurological conditions, childhood disability and greater awareness of disability inclusion. Yet many countries still face gaps in access, affordability, clinical capacity and local production.
Small businesses often sit at the centre of this gap. They are close to communities, understand local constraints and can adapt quickly. In prosthetics and orthotics, small providers may be the first point of access for a family seeking an AFO for a child, a custom insole for a diabetic foot, a prosthetic repair, a spinal brace, or an assistive device that allows someone to return to school or work.
The Global Citizen and PayPal programme is not specific to healthcare or disability, but its focus on social and environmental impact makes it relevant for O&P-related enterprises that can clearly demonstrate measurable community benefit. Applicants from the assistive technology sector should be prepared to explain who they serve, what problem they solve, how their business model creates impact, and how the funding would help them scale.
Strong applications are likely to go beyond product descriptions. They should show real outcomes: people returning to school, adults regaining employment, reduced travel for rural users, lower device costs, increased local production, better follow-up, improved repair access, or services reaching groups who are often excluded from formal rehabilitation systems.
Last year’s inaugural awards recognised five founders working across areas such as sustainable design, clean mobility, food systems, menstrual equity and wildfire prevention. In 2026, the number of awards has tripled to 15, expanding the opportunity for small businesses working in different sectors and regions.
For O&P entrepreneurs, this is also a reminder that disability inclusion belongs within the wider global impact economy. Prosthetic and orthotic services are not only healthcare interventions. They support education, employment, independence, dignity and participation. A small business that improves access to assistive devices can have a direct effect on poverty reduction and social inclusion.
IMEA CPO encourages eligible prosthetic, orthotic, rehabilitation and assistive technology small businesses to review the award criteria and consider applying before the July deadline. Organisations that may not qualify themselves can still help by sharing the opportunity with local entrepreneurs, component makers, device innovators, inclusive footwear providers, mobility businesses and disability-focused enterprises.
The opportunity is especially relevant for small businesses that can combine commercial sustainability with a clear commitment to access, affordability and community benefit. In a region where rehabilitation need often exceeds available resources, impact-driven businesses have an important role to play.
- Global Citizen and PayPal Small Business Impact Awards
- All You Need To Know: 2026 Global Citizen and PayPal Small Business Impact Awards
- Global Citizen
- PayPal
- World Health Organization – Assistive Technology
- World Health Organization – Rehabilitation
- International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics