Hamilton woman makes it to Forbes’ 30 under 30 Local list

A 23-year-old entrepreneur from Hamilton made it on the first-ever ‘Forbes 30 Under 30’ Local Toronto list released on Aug. 9.

Lianna Genovese, the founder of ImaginAble Solutions (a company that creates assistive devices like ‘Guided Hands’ for people with low mobility issues) has earned this recognition for her contributions as an entrepreneur and inventor.

“It definitely feels surreal to be named among such amazing Canadian talent,” Genovese said in an interview with intheHammer.com.

“I’ve always heard about the 30 under 30 list. Never imagined that (I) actually would be within that community, which is incredible,” she added

Her groundbreaking work in the realm of assistive technology caught the attention of Dr. Allison Sekuler, a world-renowned scientist in Canada. 

“I was actually nominated by Dr. Sekuler for the Forbes’ 30 under 30 list.”

Genovese met Dr. Sekuler at Toronto’s Baycrest Hospital four years ago, where she showcased her assistive device.

“I guess she remembered me and kept following my journey. And she actually reached out to me asking if it was okay if she nominated me, which was again, surreal because, you know, such an incredible woman, an inspirational leader in Canada, nominated me, which is fantastic,” said Genovese

The ImaginAble Solutions founder embarked on a journey of innovation in 2019, after an encounter with a painter living with cerebral palsy.

“She wasn’t able to hold on to a paintbrush anymore, but Guided Hands, it truly does go beyond helping people reignite their passions through painting or arts,” she reflected.

Guided Hands assistive device

This assistive device, capable of empowering individuals with limited fine motor skills, unlocks the ability to write, paint, draw, and interact with technology.

“It also can help children in school, help them use Guided Hands as a learning tool to do their work independently, to build their sensory and cognitive skills by still using their hands.”

The device is being used in hospitals and rehabilitation centers to promote a better range of motion and to develop key sensory and cognitive skills among individuals with mobility issues.

What sets Genovese apart is not only her innovation but her commitment to social responsibility.

“Right now, we are working on an initiative to provide guided hands to families in need. We have our own ImagineAble Fund that supports low-income families.”

Lianna Genovese (right) and her colleague

Her dedication to improving lives has also garnered recognition from Toronto’s Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation (CABHI), which has provided funding to support ImaginAble Solutions’ mission.

“Disability innovation is so important. There are important issues that are unfortunately not being addressed, especially disability innovation.”

“We’re changing people’s lives, our long-term goal is to create more products in the disability space so that we can impact more lives and create a more accessible world,” Genovese concluded.