EXCLUSIVE: Scottish start-up Safir Innovations advances wheelchair heating concept
Scottish assistive technology start-up Safir Innovations is developing a patent-pending integrated heating system for powered and manual wheelchairs, with the longer-term aim of licensing the technology to established wheelchair and mobility manufacturers.
The company was founded by Safir Ahmad, a full-time wheelchair user following a motorcycle accident in 2022. Having experienced using both manual and powered wheelchairs, Ahmad identified cold-weather challenges that can easily be overlooked during everyday wheelchair use.
Safir Ahmad, Founder of Safir Innovations, commented to THIIS: “The idea came from real problems I noticed through my own wheelchair use. I kept thinking, why are we adding separate hand warmers and heated products when some of that warmth could potentially be built into the wheelchair itself?”
The proposed system is intended to provide controlled heating across selected wheelchair contact and control areas. Depending on the wheelchair and configuration, these could include areas such as the joystick, armrests, seat, backrest, footrests and, on manual wheelchairs, the push rims.
The concept could also include physical controls, app-based control and sensors, while the detailed engineering remains under development.
Safir adds: “I’m not an engineer by background. I come from sales and customer-facing roles, so I tend to start with the real-life problem and the user’s needs, then work backwards with engineers to understand what the technical solution could look like.”
Safir states that a UK patent application was filed in December 2025. The project remains at an early development stage and is not being presented as a finished or validated commercial product.
“Why are we adding separate hand warmers and heated products when some of that warmth could potentially be built into the wheelchair itself?”
Early proof-of-concept work has included a simple heated joystick arrangement used on Ahmad’s own powered wheelchair. He says that this helped explore the practical potential of the idea while also identifying engineering, safety and usability questions that require further development.
The next stage is focused on building stronger technical and user evidence. Safir Innovations has been gathering feedback from wheelchair users and engaging with researchers, engineers and innovation organisations to better understand user need, technical feasibility and the requirements that would need to be addressed before a commercial product could be considered.
In September 2026, the project moved into a further stage of engineering development. Safir Innovations has now begun working with two student teams at Heriot-Watt University on engineering design projects exploring wheelchair heating.
The commercial strategy is deliberately different from starting another wheelchair manufacturing company and is not currently pre-trending.
Safir comments: “My goal isn’t to manufacture wheelchairs myself. I want to develop and protect the technology, build the evidence around it, and eventually work with established wheelchair manufacturers through licensing or partnership.”
For the mobility sector, Safir says that the project raises a simple question: could heating become an integrated wheelchair feature rather than something users have to add separately?
Safir Innovations is interested in hearing from wheelchair manufacturers, mobility suppliers, engineers, researchers and other organisations that may be able to contribute to technical development, user validation or future commercial discussions.
The start-up has also launched a GoFundMe campaign to help support further IP protection, engineering development, testing and user validation.
Further engineering, testing and validation will be required before any commercial product is introduced for sale.
For more information, contact Safir Ahmad, Founder of Safir Innovations via e-mail at info@safirinnovations.com or visit here.
