Skip to main content
upriver

Accessibility isn't a phase of the project. It's the design.

With all the AI tools available today, why bother testing with actual users?

Our mission

Public services that work for everyone who has to use them.

  • Design civic and public-facing software that removes barriers.
  • Build inclusive products where WCAG is just the floor.
  • Build intuitive, sustainable products designed to be maintained by everyday people.

Our vision

A web where assistive technology is unremarkable.

  • Screen readers should be as everyday as eyeglasses.
  • Disabled users should be consulted as experts, and paid as experts.
  • Accessible output should be the normal result of a normal process, not a specialist add-on.

Our values

The benefits of diversity require inclusion.

  • Accessible tech should be leveraged to make more inclusive workplaces and cities.
  • Inclusive design makes it easier for folks to share their experience and expertise with the world.
  • The difficult problems we face today can only be solved by leveraging the collective wisdom of our diverse world.

Meet the team: real people shaping real outcomes

  • Rio Fischer

    Founder

    As our founder, Rio is responsible for understanding our clients’ needs and ensuring high-quality delivery across our services. He is working for a world where visual disabilities and motor disabilities are no longer barriers to employment. He wants screen readers to be as everyday as eyeglasses.

  • Massimo Luciano

    Content Strategist

    As a content strategist and visual designer, Massimo works at the intersection of storytelling and design. Accessibility is a core principle in his approach. Through his work, he helps brands express their identity with consistency, creativity, and purpose, always balancing strategy, aesthetics, and usability.