What does empowered aging mean, and how can innovation help us get there?
This was the lead question at the Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation (CABHI)’s fourth annual CABHI Summit, which took place virtually on March 23 and 24, 2022.
Featuring more than 50 speakers, more than 60 exhibitors, 20 sponsors, and an audience of more than 800 that tuned in from around the globe, the CABHI Summit 2022 was a true meeting of the minds in the longevity sector. The jampacked event brought together a unique blend of thought leaders, innovators, companies, investors, healthcare providers, older adults, caregivers, and people living with dementia across six continents and more than 25 countries.
Summit programming was complemented by robust audience discussion on the virtual event platform and on Twitter (you can track the conversation with the #cabhisummit hashtag).
Read on to get a glimpse into the insightful discussions from the Summit, plus the finalists of the CABHI MC2 Capital Pitch Competition!
“Navigating the Healthcare System” panel at the CABHI Summit, featuring (clockwise from top left) Laura Tamblyn Watts (CanAge), Elder Mary Wilson, Jason Resendez (UsAgainstAlzheimer’s), and Aisha Adkins (Caring Across Generations).
Day 1: Agetech + The Human Connection
The first day of the event, on the theme of Agetech + The Human Connection, focused on perspectives of older adults, caregivers, people living with dementia, and professionals in the aging and brain health space.
The day’s keynote sessions explored how innovations in agetech, coupled with inclusive thought leadership, work to empower us all as we age:
- Mother-son duo Sian-Pierre Regis and Rebecca Danigelis, director and protagonist of the documentary Duty Free, along with AARP’s Felicia Brown, showed how we can recognize and stand up against ageism and economic insecurity for older adults, and how vital it is to acknowledge and tap into the experience and wisdom of older adults in our workplaces and societies.
- International fintech expert Dr. Ira Sobel spoke about financial health and wellness for older adults, and how financial technologies can be used to effectively address the needs of older adults and family caregivers.
- CABHI’s President and Chief Scientist Dr. Allison Sekuler led a fascinating panel about technology and the future of aging, which emphasized how innovations like robotics, artificial intelligence, and virtual reality are already playing leading roles in the lives of older adults and caregivers – and how the power of technology can be used to benefit our collective physical and mental well-being. The panel featured Dr. David Lindeman (CITRIS Health), Erica Lloyd (Soul Machines), Dr. Alex Mihailidis (AGE-WELL), and Sasha Spellman (AARP Innovation Labs), plus a special introduction by Clara – a ‘Digital Person’ from Soul Machines.
Day 1 programming emphasized that thoughtfully designed agetech can and does help older adults and caregivers make choices that are right for their own aging journeys. Technology can help combat social isolation and connect us to friends, family, and community. All of these things are vital to our shared desire to lead meaningful lives and feel empowered as we age – leading us to live longer, live better, and live more.
AARP’s Felicia Brown with “Duty Free” film’s Sian-Pierre Regis and Rebecca Danigelis.
Day 2: The Longevity Economy: Investing in an Aging World
The Summit’s second day was geared toward innovators, companies, and investors in the longevity sector, on the theme of The Longevity Economy: Investing in an Aging World.
The highlight of the day was the Summit’s flagship event: our annual pitch competition. This year CABHI hosted the longevity sector’s largest combined pitch competition, with a pool of more than $2 million up for grabs for the best and brightest agetech, healthtech, fintech, and neurotech companies emerging today. The event was made possible through a collaborative partnership funded by CABHI, the Ontario Brain Institute, Innovacorp, and Clearco.
The winners and finalists were:
- Ontario Brain Institute NERVE Program People’s Choice Award winner (prize of $5,000 in product development services from OBI): NerveX Neurotechnologies
- CABHI MC2 Capital Pitch Competition People’s Choice Award winner (prize of $1,000, sponsored by AGE-WELL): SenSights.AI
- CABHI MC2 Capital Pitch Competition finalists (currently going through a due diligence process to vie for placement in CABHI’s MC2 Capital Program, in partnership with National Bank):
- Careteam Technologies
- Curv Health
- elovee
- Hyivy Health
- Hypercare
- iGuard Home Solutions
- InteraXon
- IRegained
- LUCID
- Perceiv AI
CABHI thanks our audience, speakers, exhibitors, pitch competition judging panels and companies, and especially our Summit sponsors. Special thanks to our Presenting Sponsor, SOMPO Digital Lab, and Platinum Sponsor, AgeTech Collaborative from AARP, for working with us to make this year’s event possible. A full list of sponsors can be found here.
The Ontario Brain Institute NERVE Program Pitch Competition judging panel asks a pitchee a question at the CABHI Summit.
How can I watch CABHI Summit sessions again?
Couldn’t join us live, or want to rewatch the event? If you already registered for the Summit, you can access the sessions by logging in to the event platform here.
Sessions are viewable until June 24, 2022.
Thank you for joining us!
Subscribe to CABHI’s Community of Innovation podcast wherever you get your podcasts to hear sessions from the CABHI Summit and many more great conversations.
