How a school assignment grew into a viable business

By Sarah Hampson  |  August 19, 2026

From First-Year Homework to Global Impact: Lianna Genovese’s Assistive Revolution

When Lianna Genovese walked into her first-year bioengineering class at McMaster University, she wasn’t looking to launch a global health-tech company. She was just an 18-year-old student presented with a human challenge: design a device to help Elissa James, a young woman with a progressive form of cerebral palsy, regain daily functionality. When Genovese learned that James had lost the ability to paint—a passion stripped away by severe hand weakness and spasticity—she set out to build a mechanism that could give it back.

Instead of trying to force fine motor control in the hands, Genovese engineered a clever work-around: a mechanical sliding system that leverages gross motor movement in the shoulder. By strapping a user’s forearm into a secure rest, the device allows them to move an ergonomic handpiece smoothly over a board using linear bearings and rods. The user can hold a pen, paintbrush, or stylus, opening up writing, drawing, and touchscreen use. Early prototypes were made of pipe cleaners, straws, and yarn, but James’s reaction to the first crude build was immediate: her face lit up with joy. Genovese realized she couldn’t leave the project in the classroom.

Transitioning from a student assignment to a commercial venture was a grueling process. At 19, Genovese used her personal savings from lifeguarding to file a patent and officially incorporated her company, ImaginAble Solutions. The startup’s early days were scrap-and-build: operating out of her family’s basement in Hamilton, Genovese and her mother manufactured the first 150 prototypes on a 3D printer set up on a ping-pong table. Genovese took her device across the city by bus in a garbage bag, cold-calling occupational therapists, hospitals, and nursing homes to conduct trials.

Despite facing skepticism from investors early on who doubted her youth, Genovese persevered, driven by the profound real-world impact on families. Mothers wept watching their children write independently for the first time without needing a parent to hold their hand. Four-year-old George Panayiotou, born 18 weeks premature with cerebral palsy, began using the device to build muscle strength, improve range of motion, and draw alongside his peers. Over time, the device proved invaluable for individuals ranging from 10 months to 97 years old living with ALS, multiple sclerosis, stroke, and spinal cord injuries.

Today, operating out of the McMaster Innovation Park in Hamilton, 26-year-old Genovese leads a team of six running a fleet of industrial 3D printers. Powered by over $1 million won in pitch competitions, ImaginAble Solutions’ flagship product, Guided Hands, has now helped more than 6,500 people across 26 countries reclaim their independence. Genovese’s journey proves that the most impactful medical devices don't always require hyper-complex software; sometimes, simple, brilliant engineering rooted in empathy is enough to change the world.

For more information, visit ImaginAble Solutions or learn about the Mobility Unlimited Hub.