Exploring the Future of Active Mobility with William Chernicoff, Toyota Mobility Foundation

In this interview, William Chernicoff, Senior Manager of Research and Innovation at the Toyota Mobility Foundation sits down with Varun Chandak, Founder and Executive Director of Access to Success, to explore how collaboration, innovation, and human-centered design are transforming the world of active mobility and accessibility tech. From rethinking what mobility truly means to empowering people with independence and agency, this conversation dives deep into how newly formed partnerships are shaping the next generation of inclusive technologies, how Toronto has become a hub for accessibility innovation, and what it takes to bring life-changing solutions from idea to scale. 0:00 - Intro 0:51 - About the Toyota Mobility Foundation 02:35 - What is Active Mobility 04:31 - The Mobility Unlimited Hub / Toronto’s thriving accessibility innovation ecosystem 08:35 - Collaboration with Access to Success 10:36 - Active Mobility Startups 14:48 - What's next for the Toyota Mobility Foundation 16:30 - Advice and how to get involved About Access to Success - https://accesstosuccess.ca/ Access to Success (ATS) is a Toronto-based not-for-profit on a mission to Enable Everyone. It runs Canada's leading accelerator for accessibility startups, providing unique programming, network and funding to help scale innovations in accessibility tech. As of August 2025, 78 alumni startups from 10 countries had benefitted over 2 million people with disabilities and raised over $55M in funding and $61M in revenues. About the Toyota Mobility Foundation - https://toyotamobilityfoundation.org/ The Toyota Mobility Foundation was established in August 2014 to support the development of a more mobile society. The Foundation aims to support strong mobility systems while eliminating disparities in mobility. It utilizes Toyota’s expertise in technology, safety, and the environment, working in partnership with universities, governments, non-profit organizations, research institutions and other organizations to address mobility issues around the world. Programs include resolving urban transportation problems, expanding the utilization of personal mobility, and developing solutions for next generation mobility.