Made For Us

Tosin Sulaiman

Made For Us is a Signal Award-winning podcast for anyone who’s curious about how to design for inclusivity. An Apple Podcasts Editors' Choice, Made For Us entered Apple's top 10 Design chart, reaching #2 in Canada and #3 in the U.S. Join us each week for conversations with founders, designers, product inclusion leaders and other creative minds who are challenging the status quo of how everyday products are designed. Each episode will bring you insights from people who've spent years thinking, perhaps even obsessing, about how to develop products or build companies that are inclusive from the start. AWARDS 2025 International Women's Podcast Awards: Runner-up: Moment of Absolute Honesty Finalist: Moment of Behind-the-Scenes Briliance 2024 Signal Awards: Bronze winner: Most Inspirational Podcast 2024 International Women's Podcast Awards: Finalist: Moment of Insight from a Role Model & Moment of Visionary Leadership

  1. 2 days ago ·  Bonus

    Bringing African classical music to the world stage, with Rebeca Omordia

    Rebecca Omordia knew she wanted to be a concert pianist from the age of seven. As a music student, she mastered the demanding repertoire of Western composers and at home, she listened to Igbo songs sung by her Nigerian father. So when she discovered piano music by African composers, she wondered, “ why shouldn't this be in the canon?” In this episode, Rebeca reflects on her journey bringing African classical music to the concert stage, how she won over the doubters, and the moment she realised there was an audience for this undiscovered genre. This is the first in a series of episodes we’re bringing you in collaboration with Classically Black, a festival taking place on October 10, 2026 at King’s Place in London. Learn more about Rebeca’s performance here: https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/classical/keyboard-warriors/ The following excerpts included in this episode are from African Pianism, Vol. 2 by Rebeca Omordia (Somm Recordings): Elilta - Cry of Joy (Girma Yifrashewa), Two Preludes on Yoruba Sacred Folk Melodies, No. 1, “K’A Mura” (Fela Sowande), Study in African Pianism No. 1 (Akin Euba), Crépuscule sur la baie d’Alger (Salim Dada), and Senzeni Na (arranged by Grant McLachlan). --- About Rebeca Omordia Rebeca Omordia is an award-winning British-Nigerian concert pianist and curator, internationally recognised as a pioneer of African Pianism. Hailed as a “classical music game changer” (Classical Music Magazine), she founded the first African Concert Series, resident at London's Wigmore Hall. Visit Rebeca’s website: https://www.rebecaomordia.com/ Follow Rebeca on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rebeca_omordia/ Purchase African Pianism vol 2: https://somm-recordings.com/recording/african-pianism-volume-two/ --- About Classically Black Now in its third year, Classically Black is a festival redefining what classical music looks and sounds like today. The programme celebrates and elevates Black and global majority musicians and composers in classical music, past and present. Curated by Black Lives in Music, Classically Black 2026 returns to Kings Place, London on Saturday 10 October 2026. Learn more about Classically Black: https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/black-lives-in-music-presents-classically-black/ Learn more about Black Lives in Music: https://blim.org.uk/ Follow Black Lives in Music on Instagram: https://instagram.com/BlackLivesinMusic --- Connect with Made for Us Show notes and transcripts: https://made-for-us.captivate.fm/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/madeforuspodcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/madeforuspodcast/

    Bringing African classical music to the world stage, with Rebeca Omordia
  2. 30 Apr

    Redesigning venture capital: Eric Collins on the overlooked founders beating the odds

    Eric Collins co-founded Impact X Capital to back the founders traditional venture capital overlooks. Inspired by the "original investors" in his own life, Eric’s work is driven by his belief that while talent is distributed equally, opportunity is not. In this episode - our season finale - Eric discusses his move from technology executive to investor and why he sees the racial wealth gap as a problem that can be solved through intentional capital. He reflects on the journey of Impact X portfolio company Marshmallow to unicorn status and shares the logic behind investing in the animated series Iyanu. You’ll learn: - Why Impact X invests where other VC firms don't - and the data that backs its strategy - Why good ideas are distributed equally across populations, but venture capital remains stubbornly concentrated - How Marshmallow helped bridge the insurance gap for immigrants, reaching a $1.2B valuation in 18 months. --- *** Help us shape the future of Made For Us! Take our 4-minute listener survey for the chance to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card and get instant access to our curated reading list of every book ever recommended on the show: https://forms.gle/pNyrCooa23oYsaVk7 --- About Eric Collins Eric Collins is a serial entrepreneur, investor, technology executive, host of award-winning Channel 4 business show, The Money Maker. In 2018 he co-founded Impact X Capital Partners, a UK domiciled VC fund that has closed 2 funds with 49 investments including Europe’s 2nd Black unicorn, insurtech innovator, Marshmallow. In his award-winning book, We Don’t Need Permission: How Black Business Can Change Our World (Penguin), Eric argues investing in Black and underrepresented entrepreneurs is the surest, fastest socio-economic game changer there is. Follow Eric Collins on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericdcollinsba/ Learn more about Impact X: www.impactxcapital.com Read We Don’t Need Permission: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/446046/we-dont-need-permission-by-collins-eric/9780552178648 Learn more about the Black Literary Club: https://www.theblackliteraryclub.com/ --- Connect with Made for Us Show notes and transcripts: https://made-for-us.captivate.fm/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/madeforuspodcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/madeforuspodcast/Newsletter: https://madeforuspodcast.beehiiv.com/ Season 3 credits: Creator, producer & host: Tosin Sulaiman Audio engineering: Justin Orive | Graphic design: Judith Raynault Social media: Shilton Freeman | Cover art: Valentin Grimoux

    Redesigning venture capital: Eric Collins on the overlooked founders beating the odds
  3. 23 Apr

    Signal in the noise: building bias-free medical devices, with Valencia Koomson

    Growing up, Valencia Koomson wasn't supposed to be the one playing with the electronic set - that was her brother's Christmas present. She played with it anyway, and now she runs a lab at Tufts University focused on designing precision biosensors. She's turned that expertise toward addressing a long-overlooked problem in medical technology: pulse oximeters that work less reliably for patients with darker skin. In this episode, she explains what it actually takes to engineer a more inclusive pulse oximeter and she shares how she's navigating the complexities of commercialising a new medical device. You'll learn: - Why pulse oximeters tend to be less accurate on patients with darker skin tones - The engineering principles Koomson is using to redesign the device from the ground up - How she thinks about bridging the gap between lab innovation and real-world impact --- *** Help us shape the future of Made For Us! Take our 4-minute listener survey for the chance to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card and get instant access to our curated reading list of every book ever recommended on the show: https://forms.gle/pNyrCooa23oYsaVk7 --- About Valencia Koomson Valencia Koomson holds the position of Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Tufts University with a secondary appointment at the Department of Computer Science and Tisch College of Civic Life. She is the founding director of the Advanced Integrated Circuits & Systems Lab at Tufts with a research focus on medical device innovation, global health technology, and health equity advocacy. Dr. Koomson completed B.S. and M.Eng. degrees in electrical engineering and computer science at MIT. She was awarded the George C. Marshall scholarship to pursue post-graduate studies at the University of Cambridge where she received the M.Phil. and Ph.D. degrees in electrical engineering. Dr. Koomson has authored over 60 publications, book chapters, and patents. She was awarded the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Visiting Professorship at MIT in 2021. Follow Valencia Koomson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/profkoomson/ Learn more about the Advanced Integrated Circuits and Systems Lab at Tufts: https://engineering.tufts.edu/ece/koomson --- Other episodes you might like: The pulse oximeter problem: a trusted medical device comes under the spotlight How to design a fairer healthcare system --- Connect with Made for Us - Show notes and transcripts: https://made-for-us.captivate.fm/ - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/madeforuspodcast - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madeforuspodcast - Newsletter: https://madeforuspodcast.beehiiv.com/

    Signal in the noise: building bias-free medical devices, with Valencia Koomson
  4. 16 Apr

    Hugh Herr's bionic revolution: when technology becomes part of us

    *** Help shape the future of Made For Us! Take our quick listener survey for the chance to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card and get instant access to our curated reading list of every book ever recommended on the show: https://forms.gle/pNyrCooa23oYsaVk7 --- At age 17, Hugh Herr was an elite rock climber whose life was defined by the vertical world, until a mountain climbing accident fundamentally changed his trajectory. Today, as Professor at the MIT Media Lab and co-director of the K. Lisa Yang Center for Bionics, his work focuses on creating bionic limbs that move and feel like natural limbs. His innovations include computer controlled artificial knees, powered ankle-foot prostheses and exoskeletons, earning him the title "Leader of the Bionic Age." In this conversation, he shares the personal story behind his mission to design transformative and human-centred technology, and the global challenge of making prosthetics accessible to all. You'll learn: - What the next frontier of human augmentation looks like - Major innovations from Hugh Herr's lab at MIT, including a groundbreaking new surgical technique - The roadmap for creating a future with equitable, global access to advanced prosthetic technology --- *** Help us shape the future of Made For Us! Take our 4-minute listener survey for the chance to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card and get instant access to our curated reading list of every book ever recommended on the show: https://forms.gle/pNyrCooa23oYsaVk7 --- About Hugh Herr Hugh Herr is Professor of Media Arts and Sciences at the MIT Media Lab, and co-leads the Yang Center for Bionics at MIT. He is creating bionic limbs that emulate the function of natural limbs. TIME Magazine coined him the "Leader of the Bionic Age" because of his revolutionary work in the emerging field of Biomechatronics - technology that marries human physiology with electromechanics. Follow Hugh Herrr on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hugh-herr-023697b/ Follow Hugh Herr on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hugh.herr/ Learn more about the Biomechatronics Group at MIT: https://www.media.mit.edu/groups/biomechatronics/overview/ Learn more about the K. Lisa Yang Center for Bionics: https://yangtan.mit.edu/k-lisa-yang-center-for-bionics/ --- Connect with Made for Us - Show notes and transcripts: https://made-for-us.captivate.fm/ - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/madeforuspodcast - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madeforuspodcast/ - Newsletter: https://madeforuspodcast.beehiiv.com/

    Hugh Herr's bionic revolution: when technology becomes part of us
  5. 9 Apr

    Closing the disability wealth gap: an investor's case for inclusive design | Regina Kline

    *** Help shape the next season of Made For Us! Please share your feedback in our 4-minute listener survey for the chance to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card and get instant access to our curated reading list of every book ever recommended on the show: https://forms.gle/pNyrCooa23oYsaVk7 --- In this episode: While working as a civil rights lawyer in the Obama administration, Regina “Gina” Kline kept seeing the same pattern: talented individuals with disabilities being denied access to the tools they needed to compete in the global economy. In this episode, she shares how that realisation led her to found Enable Ventures, the first venture capital firm dedicated to closing the disability wealth gap by investing in companies at the nexus of technology and disability. We discuss: How Enable Ventures invests in disability-led innovationThe “original sin” behind the disability wealth gapHow the "ADA generation" is building the technology they need to compete --- About Regina Kline Regina “Gina” Kline is the Founder and Managing Partner of Enable Ventures, the first impact venture fund dedicated to closing the disability wealth gap by investing in early-stage companies working at the nexus of technology and disability. Investor, entrepreneur, civil rights lawyer, and thought leader, Gina has dedicated 15 years of her career to building the future of work by advancing the rights and interests of people with disabilities as innovators, entrepreneurs, workers, and consumers. Gina previously served in the Obama Administration and litigated landmark ADA cases and is nationally recognized for her legal and policy work in advancing the rights of people with disabilities. Gina is also the founder of SmartJob, an impact consultant and early-stage scout for the disability tech sector. Follow Regina Kline on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/regina-gina-kline-b042054 Learn more about Enable Ventures: www.enableventures.vc --- If you enjoyed this episode, why not share it with someone who'd appreciate it. Send questions for our guests or any feedback to: madeforuspod@gmail.com Other episodes you might like: Be My Eyes: the app powering a global volunteer movement for accessibility --- Connect with Made for Us Show notes and transcripts: https://made-for-us.captivate.fm/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/madeforuspodcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/madeforuspodcast/Newsletter: https://madeforuspodcast.beehiiv.com/

    Closing the disability wealth gap: an investor's case for inclusive design | Regina Kline
  6. 2 Apr ·  Bonus

    Crossover episode with Beyond 6 Seconds: Nonspeaking autism representation with Tiffany Hammond

    This week, we’re bringing you a crossover episode from Beyond 6 Seconds podcast, which features conversations with neurodivergent people from around the world. Award-winning host Carolyn Kiel speaks with neurodivergent entrepreneurs, creators, and advocates about their lives, identities, and issues that are important to them. In this episode, Carolyn's guest is Tiffany Hammond, author of the New York Times bestselling children’s book, A Day with No Words. The book tells the story of a Black mother and her nonspeaking autistic son who use a tablet to communicate with each other and the world around them. We’ll be back with a new episode of Made For Us next week. In the meantime, we hope you enjoy discovering Beyond 6 Seconds and be sure to give them a follow wherever you get your podcasts. --- Learn more about Beyond 6 Seconds Podlink: https://pod.link/1336740192 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/35483102/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beyond6seconds/ Learn more about Tiffany and her work: ADayWithNoWords.com Learn more about World Autism Awareness Day: https://www.un.org/en/observances/autism-day --- Connect with Made for Us Show notes and transcripts: https://made-for-us.captivate.fm/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/madeforuspodcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/madeforuspodcast/Newsletter: https://madeforuspodcast.beehiiv.com/

  7. 26 Mar

    The pulse oximeter problem: a trusted medical device comes under the spotlight | Michael Sjoding

    A flaw in one of medicine's most trusted devices - the pulse oximeter - was first documented in the 1990s, then largely forgotten. It took the COVID-19 pandemic to bring it back to the forefront. Michael Sjoding, a pulmonologist and associate professor of medicine at the University of Michigan, was treating critically ill patients during the pandemic when he noticed something that didn't add up: pulse oximeter readings were overestimating blood oxygen levels compared with arterial blood gas tests. The discrepancy wasn't random. Black patients were significantly more likely to receive inaccurate readings than White patients. In this episode, we talk about the impact of the study Dr. Sjoding and his colleagues published in the New England Journal of Medicine, what it reveals about the design of medical devices - and why he believes this is a problem that can be solved. We discuss: Why pulse oximeters can produce less accurate readings in patients with darker skin - and what that means for clinical decision-makingWhat the pulse oximeter problem reveals about inclusive design in medicineWhy Dr. Sjoding believes his study gained traction where earlier research did not About Michael Sjoding Dr. Michael Sjoding is an Associate Professor in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care at the University of Michigan. His research focuses on developing new computational tools to support diagnosis and identify optimal treatment for patients with lung disease. He also studies how to effectively deploy these tools to support clinical decisions at the bedside. Read the NEJM study on racial bias in pulse oximetry measurement: https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMc2029240 --- Other episodes you might like: Signal in the noise: building bias-free medical devices How to design a fairer healthcare system --- Connect with Made for Us Show notes and transcripts: https://made-for-us.captivate.fm/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/madeforuspodcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/madeforuspodcast/Newsletter: https://madeforuspodcast.beehiiv.com/

    The pulse oximeter problem: a trusted medical device comes under the spotlight | Michael Sjoding

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About

Made For Us is a Signal Award-winning podcast for anyone who’s curious about how to design for inclusivity. An Apple Podcasts Editors' Choice, Made For Us entered Apple's top 10 Design chart, reaching #2 in Canada and #3 in the U.S. Join us each week for conversations with founders, designers, product inclusion leaders and other creative minds who are challenging the status quo of how everyday products are designed. Each episode will bring you insights from people who've spent years thinking, perhaps even obsessing, about how to develop products or build companies that are inclusive from the start. AWARDS 2025 International Women's Podcast Awards: Runner-up: Moment of Absolute Honesty Finalist: Moment of Behind-the-Scenes Briliance 2024 Signal Awards: Bronze winner: Most Inspirational Podcast 2024 International Women's Podcast Awards: Finalist: Moment of Insight from a Role Model & Moment of Visionary Leadership