Inside Whimble’s Event-ready Model
By Cindy McGlynn
Whimble founder and CEO Emma Brown has spent a lot of time at football games. It’s not her favourite sport, but Brown often accompanies her sports-loving sibling—who has spina bifida and needs assistance—to live games.
Now and then, Brown helps him at his home, too, when scheduled caregivers cancel. Thinking about these gaps in care led her to create Whimble, an on-demand, care-tech app that “connects the supply and demand sides of care” when people need quick support.
Four years later, her Ottawa-based start-up also operates in Toronto and is looking at West Coast expansion.
A GAME CHANGER
Two things set this care-tech business apart. First, it’s app-based, creating an Uber-style connection between Personal Support Workers (PSWs) and people needing quick, short-term support with daily activities, like dressing, toileting and cooking.
Secondly, Whimble partners with major events, like the 2025 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship in Ottawa, to provide on-site personal care as part of the event offering.
At first, Brown envisioned Whimble’s away-from-home attendant care as a fee-for service option people would book themselves. But a colleague with personal care needs who often travels and speaks at conferences—and knows how hard that is for people with disabilities—encouraged Brown to think bigger.
“His suggestion was to approach event organizers and say: ‘If you’re inviting people in, to be truly inclusive, offering on-site personal care would be a game changer,’” says Brown. “It levels the playing field for everybody.”
DEVELOPING PARTNERSHIPS
Whimble soon started partnering with festivals and sporting events, including the 2025 World Juniors in Ottawa, which was hosted across multiple venues for 10+ days. At the 2025 Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto, Whimble offered 18 days of services, including washroom assists, wayfinding support and accessible golf-cart rides.
On-site support at sporting events can include meeting attendees upon arrival, guiding them to their seats, assisting with bathroom needs and eating.
Brown says offering Whimble at events isn’t expensive. She says one PSW per 5,000 guests can be enough to support a general audience event. Physically larger events like golf tournaments need more attendants due to on-site travel time. And events with a higher-than-average attendance of people with disabilities, like wheelchair basketball championships, would have a different calculation.
CLEAR COMMUNICATION
To prepare for events, Brown says Whimble meets with event organizers to review the site layout, attendance, the event’s cadence and peak times.
“With the World Juniors, we knew that intermission was when everybody wanted to go to the bathroom, get food and drinks and be back in their seats when the game starts again,” says Brown. Larger events use a 1-800 number or scannable QR code that guests use right from their seats to request assistance.
Clear communication is important, Brown says, so guests “don’t have to be stressed wondering how they’re going to go to the bathroom, or if they’re going to be able to get something to eat, or even something as simple as getting their winter coat on or off.”
Brown says most app users are independent adults, so Whimble hires PSWs experienced with client-directed care. Screening is rigorous, including a recent vulnerable sector check, valid CPR and first aid certificates and up-to-date vaccinations. Each Whimble PSW must also pass in-person interviews and ID checks, and carry their own healthcare provider liability insurance.
EVENT-READY CARE
Whimble offers extra paid training to PSWs working events to ensure they’re prepared to offer person-centric care in a busy, crowded environment. The sporting and events opportunities are seen as a perk by most PSWs who appreciate the change from home-based care.
“We were working at a regatta for the Nepean Sailing Club last summer,” says Brown. “It was a beautiful summer day and the PSW was stationed on the dock in the sunshine saying, ‘I can’t believe I get paid to do this.’”
Brown says roughly 90% of Whimble’s business comes from individual care, with 10% tied to large events. She aspires to be part of huge sporting events.
“Our ultimate vision is for personal care to be a standardized component of event planning,” says Brown. “Just like you have to book your security and food vendors and all the other services. We want personal care attendants to be on the list.”
PHOTOS: WHIMBLE
Published March 2026
