In this installment of our Accelerator Series, Kelvin Crosby and Chris Maher sit down with Diego Mariscal, Founder and CEO of 2Gether-International—the largest accelerator supporting entrepreneurs with disabilities.

Diego shares his remarkable journey from growing up in Monterrey, Mexico, to launching a global organization that has supported over 700 founders. Born prematurely and living with cerebral palsy, Diego’s lived experience shaped his belief that disability isn’t a limitation—it’s a powerful entrepreneurial advantage.

This episode dives into:

• How resilience and problem-solving—core to the disability experience—translate directly into entrepreneurship
• The early scrappy days of building 2Gether International (including Airbnb hustles and pitching strangers in Uber rides)
• What makes 2Gether’s accelerator unique, from its community-driven model to its focus on disability as a competitive advantage
• Why most founders misunderstand funding—and what they should focus on instead
• The critical (and often overlooked) challenge of balancing entrepreneurship with disability benefits
• Practical advice for early-stage founders on building real value and solving meaningful problems

Diego also offers a candid perspective on what separates successful founders from the rest: a deep, personal drive to solve a problem—not just passion alone.

Whether you’re an entrepreneur, investor, or advocate, this conversation will challenge how you think about disability, innovation, and what it truly takes to build something impactful.

Links & Resources:

Diego Mariscal: LinkedIn

2Gether-International: Website

COMING SOON!

American Sign Language (ASL) and Captioning for each episode will be provided on our YouTube channel. Go to handle @SamaritanPartners.