If you’ve ever walked the halls of OTWorld, you know the feeling: the big household names pull you in with huge booths, polished demos, and launches timed perfectly for the show. And honestly : I love seeing what the major players bring to the table each year.

But this time around, I’m especially looking forward to something else: discovering (and re-discovering) the less well-known companies and the people behind them. The ones who are building bold ideas, taking smart risks, and often pushing user-driven design in ways that the “industry giants” can’t (or won’t).

Here are a few of the companies I’m most excited to seek out at OTWorld in Leipzig this year - and why.

Top of my list is Hopper — especially because of their running blade and a new foot they’re bringing to market soon.

What draws me in isn’t just the product promise (though, as an active amputee, that obviously matters). I’m also curious about the thinking behind the design: What problem are they trying to solve? What trade-offs did they make? What have they learned from users so far? And who are the people building and iterating on these devices?

Hopper × Salomon: Adaptive design done seriously. I’m also keen to learn more about Hopper’s collaboration with Salomon - especially in the context of Salomon’s broader work on adaptive design. Salomon has been on my radar for a while. One reason: the company doesn’t treat disability as an afterthought or a side campaign. They’ve increasingly put real energy into representation and community, including a strong group of amputee brand ambassadors.

To me, that combination - product design + credibility + visible athlete voices - is what makes a brand stand out. I’m excited to see where Salomon takes this next, and how partnerships like the one with Hopper influence what ends up on the feet (and in the lives) of everyday amputees.

Next up: Anatomic Studios from Sweden. And although we have known each other for five years, I still find them one of the most exciting companies out there. And if you’ve seen them at a show before, you know what I mean: Their booth catches attention immediately - but in the best way. There’s a clear aesthetic, a strong point of view, and a sense that prosthetics can be something you wear with confidence and pride, not something you hide.

I’m looking forward to seeing what they’re bringing this year, what new ideas they’re exploring, and (as always) the conversations their work sparks around identity, visibility, and self-expression.

Because for many of us, function is only part of the story. The other part is: How do I want to show up in the world? And with Anatomic Studios we have a powerful advocate and a team that gets it within the industry.

Last but definitely not least: Levitate, a small company from Denmark that  shook up the industry a few years ago by selling more directly to users, using modern, engaging marketing that actually speaks to people, and showing serious commitment to supporting war veterans and others affected by the war in Ukraine.

What I’m especially interested in at OTWorld is not just their tech, but their lived experience of working in an active war zone, and what it takes to support people with limb loss in such a complex environment. I guess here my day work - I have been working in conflict transformation and peacebuilding for the last 25 years - rubbs of.

Questions I hope to explore (and bring back into future posts/conversations): What kinds of prosthetic and rehab support are actually helpful in unstable contexts? What logistics, partnerships, and local knowledge make the difference between “good intentions” and real impact? What could other regions learn from their experience; especially where access to services is fragile, disrupted, or unequal?

I’m going to OTWorld with a simple goal: Come home with fewer marketing claims and more real conversations. Conversations about:

how products hold up in real life, how companies listen (or don’t) to users, where accessibility is improving, and where we still need to push the industry - and policy makers and insurance companies - to do better.

If you’re going to OTWorld, too and you spot any of these booths: Say hi. And if there’s a smaller company you think I absolutely shouldn’t miss, send me a message. I’d love to add a few more “hidden gems” to the list before Leipzig.

See you at OTWorld.