More than 70 million U.S. adults have disabilities, representing roughly 28.7% of the population. Yet most startups treat accessibility as an afterthought, missing both a substantial market opportunity and a genuine competitive advantage. One SaaS founder learned this lesson the hard way when a potential Series A investor asked a critical question: “Is your platform accessible?” She couldn’t answer, and the deal fell through.
The Enterprise Sales Game-Changer
Large organizations, particularly government agencies, healthcare providers, and educational institutions, now require WCAG 2.1 Level AA compliance in their procurement processes. For startups targeting the enterprise market, accessibility isn’t optional—it’s table stakes. One education technology company lost three major university contracts worth $200,000+ annually each simply because they lacked accessibility documentation their competitors had prepared.
Building In Costs 90% Less Than Retrofitting
The financial argument is compelling. Integrating accessibility during initial design and development adds only 10-20% to development time, costing roughly $10,000-$15,000 for a typical MVP. Retrofitting later, however, requires 1,000+ hours of engineering work and $150,000-$200,000 in expenses, diverting resources from your roadmap for months.
Additionally, accessible websites outperform in search rankings. A 2024 study of 63,000 websites found that sites with accessibility scores above 75/100 consistently outperformed peers in revenue. For startups relying on organic growth, this translates to 40-60% increases in search traffic.
The takeaway is clear: treating accessibility as a core product requirement from day one isn’t just ethical—it’s smart business strategy that positions startups ahead of competitors overlooking this advantage.