National Impact Challenge 2023
Bold Innovations for Living
The National Impact Challenge – Bold Innovations for Living, powered by AGE-WELL and SE Health, brought together eight selected finalists from across Canada to pitch their technology, innovative program or service for aging with choice and dignity in Canada.
The pitch competition was held on June 22, 2023 in front of an engaged and enthusiastic audience in downtown Toronto.
We are pleased to announce that the winner in the Community category is Root & Seed, whose service connects generations and preserves family stories. The winner in the Startup category is UVX, developers of a device designed to protect people from infection. The first-place prizes each bring $25,000 in cash plus in-kind prizes. Read more.
The runner-up in the Community category, receiving the National Impact Challenge Runner-up Spotlight on Community award, is AGING ProACTIVELY. In the Startup category, the runner-up is ElderPRIME.
There was also a People’s Choice Award, for which hundreds of votes were cast online before and during the competition. Recipients of the People’s Choice Award are: Root & Seed (Community category) and ElderPRIME (Startup category).
A big thank you to all the finalists in this year’s competition: AGING proACTIVELY, Amintro, Root & Seed, and Social Services Network (Community category) and Axtion Independence Mobility, Chirp, ElderPRIME, and UVX (Startup category). Read about the finalists here.
Finalists were challenged to explain how their solution can positively impact older Canadians or caregivers. Each finalist delivered a 4-minute pitch followed by a Q&A with a panel of expert judges. Finalists competed in two separate categories: 1) Startups (with a prototype, market-ready or looking to scale); and 2) Community-based, community-serving or youth organizations (ideation or scaling).
All eight finalists in the two categories will be able to take part in the IMPACT Camp – a 12-month program where they will share and learn from each other and leverage networking opportunities through AGE-WELL and SE Health to advance their innovations.
AGE-WELL and SE Health wish to thank the judges and the generous sponsors of the National Impact Challenge 2023 – Bold Innovations for Living: Ontario Brain Institute (OBI), Spotlight Development Inc. (presenting sponsors), Metro (gold sponsor), the Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation (CABHI) (silver sponsor), Sodexo, SPACES and Bereskin & Parr (supporting sponsors).
Meet Our Judges
Pascale Audette
Founding Partner
AgeTech Capital
Mohini Bhavsar
Chief of Staff to Co-CEO
Jocelyn Mackie
Grand Challenges Canada
Sabrina Boutin
Principal Vice President, MEDTEQ+
Executive Director, envisAGE
Samira Chandani
Wiser, Adviser, SE Health
Phil Davis
Ontario Region
Representative, AGE-WELL
Older Adult and
Caregiver Advisory Committee
Sherry Larjani
Founder, Spotlight
Development Inc and the
Aria Foundation
Anuj Pasrija
Vice President, Strategic Customer Group,
J&J MedTech Canada
Garth Smith
Vice President, Business Development & Partnerships
Ontario Brain Institute
The National Impact Challenge 2023 – Bold Innovations for Living focused on three themes:
| Aging in Place & Community | Living with Purpose & Meaning | Empowerment |
| How can we enable older adults to age in the place of their choosing? | How can we reimagine how older adults can contribute their skills, talents, and years of experience towards a new purpose? | How can older adults have choice, dignity, autonomy, and matching support to age well in their community, on their own terms with the resources that align with their wishes? |
Challenge area context:
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Competition Terms and Conditions
Sponsors
Presenting sponsors
Gold sponsor
Silver sponsor
Supporting sponsors
About AGE-WELL
AGE-WELL NCE Inc. is Canada’s Technology and Aging Network. The pan-Canadian network brings together researchers, older adults, caregivers, partner organizations and future leaders to accelerate the delivery of technology-based solutions that make a meaningful difference in the lives of Canadians. AGE-WELL researchers are producing technologies, services, policies and practices that improve quality of life for older adults and caregivers and generate social and economic benefits for Canada. AGE-WELL is funded through the federal Networks of Centres of Excellence program. www.agewell-nce.ca
About SE Health
SE Health is a not-for-profit social enterprise, applying knowledge, vision, and drive to impact how people live and age at home, today and into the future. With Canadian roots and 110+ years of expertise, the organization’s purpose is to bring hope and happiness to the people it serves, emphasizing its values of life care, love, and work with purpose, and delivering quality, excellence, and innovation to home care, seniors’ lifestyle, and family caregiving. Through its team of 8,000 Leaders of Impact, SE Health delivers 25,000 care exchanges daily, totaling 50 million in the last decade alone. Visit us online at sehc.com.