ZipperBuddy — Meet the Founder
Meet the Founder
Meet the Founder

Hey, I'm Sandi!

Disabled entrepreneur, artist, problem solver. Building adaptive tools that give people back control — one zip at a time.

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Sandi DeRuntz, Founder of ZipperBuddy
My Story

Built from
lived experience.

As my health and mobility shifted, I started noticing how many everyday things were built without people like me in mind. Tasks most people never think about — like closing a jacket — could suddenly shape my whole day. It wasn't that I wasn't capable. It was that the world wasn't built for my body's new reality.

And for some reason, Massachusetts still refuses to honor my very reasonable request for 72-degree dry heat year-round. Since I couldn't fix the weather, I started fixing what I could control.

For people navigating mobility changes, the options often felt bleak: expensive adaptive clothing, clinical-looking garments, or needing help for a basic zipper. I didn't want a medical label. I wanted to wear my own coat.

Sandi DeRuntz
Sandi DeRuntz
Founder & Inventor
Sandi at ZipperBuddy event
ZipperBuddy product
Why I Built It

So people could keep
the clothes they love.

So I built a solution that helps people keep their favorite clothes and gain more independence. ZipperBuddy is designed to make fastening a jacket possible with one hand — without forcing people to give up their style, identity, or the wardrobe they already love.

It's not a replacement for what you wear. It's a small, practical addition that gives back something bigger: control over your own morning, your own routine, your own way of moving through the world.

"I didn't want a medical label; I wanted to wear my own coat."

Founder Philosophy

For us, by us

I believe the tools we use to navigate life should work with us, not force us to change who we are. Accessible design should feel integrated into everyday life — not like a separate category people are pushed into. ZipperBuddy was built from lived experience, but it was never meant for me alone. It was built for the many people whose independence has been treated like an afterthought.

ZipperBuddy looks like a tool, not a medical device, because that matters. When your body changes, your sense of self doesn't have to. The wardrobe you love, the coat you've worn for years — those things carry meaning.

ZipperBuddy came from real frustration with real gaps in the world.

This was never built for me alone. It was built for stroke survivors, people with arthritis, older adults, caregivers, families. For everyone who sees themselves in this problem.

Sandi DeRuntz
ZipperBuddy product
Recognition

From Idea to Impact

Engineering Prototyping Competition 2023
1st Place
Built the first working prototype of ZipperBuddy — where the idea became real.
50k Idea Challenge 2024
Contribution to a Healthier Lifestyle Award
Recognized for improving independence, dignity, and everyday accessibility.
Legal Services Prize 2024
Award Recipient
Supported the patenting and protection of ZipperBuddy's innovation.
Boston University IdeaCon 2024
Ignite Speaker
Selected to share the story behind ZipperBuddy on a national stage.
UMass Lowell 2025
Chancellors Medal for Diversity & Inclusion
Honoring leadership in accessibility, advocacy, and inclusive design.
REMARKABLE Pre-Accelerator 2024
Global Pre-Accelerator
Selected for a global program supporting disability-led innovation.
NSF I-Corps UML Program 2024
Entrepreneurial Training
Participated in NSF I-Corps, gaining tools to evaluate market potential and advance ZipperBuddy toward real-world use.
New England Fashion Week 2025
Featured Designer
Showcased ZipperBuddy on the runway, bringing adaptive fashion into a traditional fashion space.
Get Started

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From Idea to Impact

Celebrating excellence and innovation

Engineering Prototyping Competition 2023

Engineering Prototyping Competition 2023

1st Place

Leading the industry in technological advancement

50k Idea Challenge 2024

50k Idea Challenge 2024

Contribution to a Healthier Lifestyle Award

Recognized for improving independence, dignity, and everyday accessibility.

Legal Services Prize 2024

Legal Services Prize 2024

Award Recipient

Supported the patenting and protection of ZipperBuddy’s innovation.

Boston University IdeaCon 2024

Boston University IdeaCon 2024

Ignite Speaker

Selected to share the story behind ZipperBuddy on a national stage.

UMass Lowell 2025

UMass Lowell 2025

Chancellors Medal for Diversity & Inclusion

Honoring leadership in accessibility, advocacy, and inclusive design.

REMARKABLE Pre-ACCELLERATOR 2024

REMARKABLE Pre-ACCELLERATOR 2024

Global Pre-Accelerator

Selected for a global program supporting disability-led innovation.

NSF I-Corps UML Program 2024

NSF I-Corps UML Program 2024

Entrepreneurial Training

Participated in NSF I-Corps, gaining tools to evaluate market potential and advance ZipperBuddy toward real-world use.

New England Fashion Week 2025

New England Fashion Week 2025

Featured Designer

Showcased ZipperBuddy on the runway, bringing adaptive fashion into a traditional fashion space. Sponsored by HumanKind Casting.