A friend who has a disability was unable to turn on the lights of his bedroom. Today, he’s able to control everything in his entire home

“A friend who has a disability was unable to turn on the lights of his bedroom. Today, he’s able to control everything in his entire home.”

This wasn’t a business pitch. It was the result of a problem Yazan Hakawati and his team were trying to solve for someone they knew personally. After a close friend became physically disabled following an accident, he could no longer manage daily tasks without help. He relied on a caregiver for things many people take for granted – switching on a light, adjusting the room temperature, locking a door.

How do you give someone back their independence after they lose it?

Yazan and his team began to explore how technology could make a difference. They built a smart system tailored to their friend’s home, one that could be controlled through voice commands and a mobile app. It allowed him to move through his space on his own terms.

Based in Birzeit, TheKey offers smart home infrastructure for people with physical disabilities between the ages of 30 and 70, as well as institutions such as care homes and hospitals. Through a mobile app or voice commands, users can control various home settings – from lighting and climate to security systems. TheKey also provides installation, maintenance, and round-the-clock support, making it a full-service solution for clients who need reliable assistance.

But TheKey isn’t just selling hardware. It’s offering autonomy to those who are often overlooked by mainstream tech solutions. In a place like Palestine, where accessibility is rarely prioritised in infrastructure, the significance of such a service cannot be overstated. For many users, it is the first time they are able to manage their space on their own terms.

Support that moved the idea forward

To turn this concept into an operating business, the team needed more than a good product. They needed support; technical, financial, and strategic. That’s when they joined the Riyada programme.

Developed by SPARK in partnership with the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development, Riyada is designed to strengthen Palestine’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. It provides business training, mentorship, and seed funding to young entrepreneurs while also enhancing the capacity of Business Support Centres and Higher Education Institutions to deliver better services to startups.

“The Riyada programme supported us with logistics,” Yazan explained. “We were able to secure the tech items we needed to continue developing our systems. Startups need financial support, but they also need help with how to market themselves and their solutions.”

Riyada’s contribution allowed TheKey to build the infrastructure it needed to move from concept to client-ready. With stronger tech capabilities, the team could take on new users and expand the customisation services they offer.

Advice from one entrepreneur to another

Looking back, Yazan says support programmes like Riyada are vital to any startup trying to grow in a challenging economy.

“I advise everyone with a startup to participate in programmes that exist to upskill and fund entrepreneurs. They help you develop your idea, your business, and yourself.”

TheKey is a clear example of how innovation and empathy can work hand in hand. It also reflects what happens when young Palestinians are given the resources to act on their ideas. SPARK, through the Riyada programme, continues to support entrepreneurs like Yazan – people who are not only building businesses, but making life more accessible for others in the process.