Pushing boundaries.
Together with the people who face them.
BIRNE7 e.V. is a German nonprofit collective at the intersection of accessibility, technology, research, and participation. We exist to move the state of the art — not incrementally, but fundamentally.
Where it started
BIRNE7 emerged from the 2017 Neue Nähe 2.0 hackathon, organized by Aktion Mensch. Seven people with direct experience of barriers came together, built something meaningful, and decided the work could not stop there.
The organization was formally registered as a nonprofit association in February 2018.
BIRNE stands for Barrierefreiheit, Inklusion, Realität, Nähe und Ergebnisse — Accessibility, Inclusion, Reality, Proximity, and Results. The 7 refers to the founding members.
Why we exist
Mission
We connect lived experience with technical innovation. Together with people who face barriers and partners from development, research, industry, and public life, we turn problems, ideas, and unmet needs into solutions that improve participation in everyday life.
Vision
A life without barriers — where accessibility is the core design principle for society, technology, and everyday life.
What drives us
Our values are not a list. They are how we make decisions — about which projects to take on, who to work with, and what counts as progress.
- Co-creation with people with lived experience
- Real-world relevance over theory alone
- Technology in service of participation
- Accessibility by default
- Openness, partnership, and interdisciplinarity
- Action and measurable progress
What makes us different
We do not just talk about inclusion — we build with the people who face the barriers.
Co-creation first
Every project starts with lived experience. We do not design solutions for people — we design with them. That means involving people with access needs from the first question, not as a final check.
From idea to evidence
We turn problems into prototypes and prototypes into proof. We test, document, and share what we learn so the field can move forward — not just our projects.
Partner ecosystems
We combine community insight, innovation methods, and strong partner networks across research, industry, and civil society. The right challenge needs the right team.
Social and technical together
We connect social impact with concrete technological development. Access is a systems problem. Our solutions reflect that.
Milestones
2017 — Neue Nähe 2.0 hackathon. Seven people meet, build together, decide not to stop. Organized by Aktion Mensch.
2018 — BIRNE7 e.V. formally registered as a nonprofit association in Germany.
2018 — Recognized in the Google.org Impact Challenge Germany.
Ongoing — 12+ projects across accessibility, assistive technology, digital inclusion, and future-facing research. Active collaboration with ESA, Aktion Mensch, FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg, and others.
The network behind BIRNE7
BIRNE7 is powered by a growing network of contributors, advisors, and partners. Below are featured members — developers, researchers, facilitators, and people with direct lived experience of barriers. Hover over a portrait to get a closer look.
Want to build something meaningful?
Join the network, start a collaboration, or share the challenge you face. Every meaningful project starts with a real problem.