Mobility Projects in Collaboration Between Toyota Mobility Foundation and Ruta N to Receive Up to $500 Million (COP) to Improve Transportation in Medellín

OCTOBER 27, 2026

Ruta N and Toyota Mobility Foundation announced today the three innovators selected to advance to the next stage of the Medellín Mobility for All initiative. Work in Phase 2 will continue to develop their mobility solutions under real-world conditions in Medellín. 

Having successfully completed the pilot phase, the three projects now ready to transform the way people move around the city are:

·       Brazo Amigo, developed by Brazo Amigo SAS

·       Pendiente Cero, developed by Fundación Más Urbano

·       MOBI, developed by Universidad EAFIT

"When we talk about innovation, we're also talking about our capacity to find new answers to the challenges people face every day. Mobility is one of them, and that's why at Ruta N we work to ensure that talent and ideas can become solutions that make getting around Medellín more accessible. This milestone demonstrates the value of bringing solutions into real-world settings, supporting their evolution, and bringing major partners on board. At Ruta N, we want to keep creating the conditions that allow the talent that exists in Medellín to turn into concrete solutions capable of improving the mobility experience and contributing to the economic and social development of a city for everyone," said Simón Arango, Director of Strategic Projects at Ruta N.

Medellín Mobility for All was launched in November of 2025 with an open call for innovative solutions to mobility barriers in Medellín for people with disabilities, focusing on the Marique and Aranjuez neighborhoods, which lie on steep terrain far from the city center.

Over 70,000 people living in Medellín live with reduced mobility. About 20% are adults of working age, and nearly 25% are elderly adults, according to the 2023 Registry for the Location and Characterization of Persons with Disabilities (RLCPD). Additionally, more than 55% of the city’s roads have slopes greater than 6%, posing great challenges to people with disabilities.

Ruta N Corporation and the Toyota Mobility Foundation (TMF), a non-profit organization dedicated to solving mobility issues across the globe, have joined forces to drive solutions to address these challenges and enable individuals to access public transport independently and reliably. The initiative focuses on districts 3 (Manrique) and 4 (Aranjuez), which have the highest percentage of residents with physical disabilities in Medellín.

The three solutions selected to advance address mobility from different angles. Brazo Amigo has developed a device that attaches to a manual wheelchair to assist with mobility on hillside terrain and is moving toward a fleet-based loan and support model. Pendiente Cero addresses accessibility barriers using tactical urbanism interventions along first- and last-mile routes and will expand its operations across the entire Aranjuez district. MOBI, meanwhile, is developing an application that provides information on accessible buses to help people with reduced mobility plan their trips.

“The Brazo Amigo team is very pleased to move into the new scale-up phase of the Medellín Mobility for All project, through which we aim to improve mobility for wheelchair users and achieve efficient integration with the city's mass transportation systems. We are ready to take on this new challenge and to be part of the ecosystem," said Neil Alexander Calvo Arroyave, Manager of Brazo Amigo.

The scale-up phase will run for eight months, with a fund of up to $500 million (COP) for the three projects combined. In this new phase, each solution will continue developing their minimum viable product (MVP), with goals defined based on the baseline and evidence gathered during the initial pilots.

"I'm grateful to Ruta N for all the guidance provided to the innovators. I've seen a real difference between what has been implemented and what was originally presented. The biggest challenge, and the greatest opportunity moving forward, is engaging the entire ecosystem to make this program a success, both for the innovators and for the city," said Lorielyn Mills, Program Director at Toyota Mobility Foundation.

The collaboration with Toyota Mobility Foundation reflects how Ruta N connects Medellín with international organizations to attract knowledge, resources, and, above all, solutions that address the city's specific challenges. Bringing these technologies into real-world settings and supporting their development improves mobility conditions and quality of life for residents, while also creating opportunities to strengthen talent and drive the district's economic and social development.

About Toyota Mobility Foundation

Toyota Mobility Foundation (Chair Akio Toyoda) was established in August 2014 by Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) to support the development of a more mobile society in which everyone can move freely. The Foundation underscores Toyota’s ongoing commitment to continuous improvement and respect for people. It utilizes Toyota’s expertise and technologies to support strong mobility systems while eliminating disparities in mobility. TMF works in collaboration with universities, governments, non-profits, research institutions and other organizations, creating programs that are aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to address mobility issues around the world.  

“TMF aims to create a truly mobile society that will help people live better lives no matter where they are,” said Chair Akio Toyoda.