Held in Toronto from June 22-26, 2026, the AGE-WELL EPIC Summer Institute brought together 15 undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and clinicians from across Canada, along with two graduate students from the University of Edinburgh, for an intensive week of experiential learning, stakeholder engagement and innovation.
Centred on the theme Co-Creating Possibilities: Transportation & Mobility for Urban Older Adults, participants worked alongside older adults, community organizations, researchers, policymakers and industry leaders to design practical, technology-enabled solutions that improve mobility, independence and quality of life for older adults living in urban communities.
Working in multidisciplinary teams, trainees tackled real-world challenge areas related to accessible and safe public transit, pedestrian and road safety, and reliable, dignified and user-centred specialized transportation.
Throughout the week, they engaged directly with stakeholders from MIRA | Dixon Hall, gaining first-hand insight into the lived experiences of older adults and caregivers. Additional workshops and mentoring sessions featured experts from the City of Toronto, TTC/Wheel-Trans, Parachute Canada, Root & Seed, the University of Toronto, and AGE-WELL Summer Institute faculty from across Canada providing participants with practical tools in design thinking, stakeholder engagement, business model development, commercialization and persuasive pitching.
“One of the most rewarding aspects of the Summer Institute is watching trainees move beyond their own disciplines to co-create solutions with the very people they hope to serve. This week wasn’t about finding perfect answers−it was about learning how meaningful innovation happens when researchers and stakeholders work together. The creativity, empathy and collaboration demonstrated by this year’s cohort was truly inspiring,” said Samantha Sandassie, Director, Education and Training, AGE-WELL.
Bridgette Murphy, CEO of AGE-WELL, said the Summer Institute, now in its ninth year, is a core element of AGE-WELL’s capacity-building work and a key component of its globally leading EPIC (Early Professionals, Inspired Careers) program. “Through our unique training program, AGE-WELL is cultivating the next generation of AgeTech leaders, equipping innovators with the knowledge and skills to advance solutions for aging populations,” she said.
The week culminated in a pitch competition, where teams presented their solutions to a panel of judges from MaRS Discovery District, Parachute Canada and the City of Toronto.
Team SafeCross, winner of the pitch competition for its smart crossing system
The winning team, SafeCross, impressed judges with an innovative smart crossing system that pairs a wearable beacon with an intelligent traffic signal device to automatically extend crossing times for older adults while collecting data to help optimize intersection safety over time.
In addition to a cash prize, the team will receive in-kind support from AGE-WELL to help turn their idea into a viable product.
For team member Armin Ghayur Sadigh, who presented his team’s pitch, the greatest reward was the opportunity to learn through collaboration and co-creation.
“The Summer Institute completely changed the way I approach problem-solving. Working alongside expert mentors and learning to co-create directly with older adults showed me the value of bringing together different perspectives to develop meaningful solutions. That experience alone was incredibly rewarding. Winning the pitch competition was a bonus, but more importantly, it gave me confidence that I had grown significantly as an innovator and collaborator.”
New this year, the Josephine McMurray Award for Excellence in Co-Creation recognized the team that best demonstrated meaningful stakeholder engagement throughout the innovation process. Named in honour of long-time AGE-WELL researcher and Associate Scientific Director Josephine McMurray, the award celebrates the principle that the most impactful solutions are developed with older adults and community partners, not simply for them.
AccessVoice received the Josephine McMurray Award for Excellence in Co-Creation
The award was presented to Access Voice, whose commitment to working alongside older adults and community partners exemplified the principles of co-design at the heart of the Summer Institute. Reflecting on the experience, team member Sarmitha Sivakumaran shared:
“The AGE-WELL EPIC Summer Institute strengthened my appreciation for how meaningful innovation is shaped through collaboration across disciplines and community partners. Working alongside Eileen, our mentor and community partner from Dixon Hall, grounded our work in lived experience and reinforced the importance of working in partnership. It was an honour for our team to receive the inaugural Josephine McMurray Award for Excellence in Co-Creation.”
Every participant left the Summer Institute having developed valuable skills in interdisciplinary teamwork, stakeholder engagement, design thinking, knowledge mobilization and innovation. Over five intensive days, trainees transformed complex real-world challenges into practical concepts with the potential to improve the lives of older adults across Canada.
“The Summer Institute completely changed the way I approach problem-solving.”– Armin Ghayur Sadigh, PhD student in Geomatics Engineering, University of Calgary
AGE-WELL gratefully acknowledges the many organizations whose partnership made this year’s Summer Institute possible. Special thanks to MIRA | Dixon Hall, the Faculty of Information (iSchool), the Department of Geography & Planning, the School of Cities and the AgeTech LaunchPad Institutional Strategic Initiative at the University of Toronto, MaRS Discovery District, Parachute, Root & Seed, the City of Toronto, TTC/Wheel-Trans, as well as our faculty, mentors, judges, and the older adults who generously shared their lived experiences throughout the week.
Together, these contributions helped create an unforgettable learning experience and inspired the next generation of researchers and innovators to design more inclusive, age-friendly transportation systems.