KNOWLEDGE MOBILIZATION & COMMERCIALIZATION
Knowledge Mobilization & Commercialization with AGE-WELL has been extremely “ Working beneficial for our startup. To be introduced to AGE-WELL’s network of researchers and private entities has helped us validate not just our product but also our business plan. We have identified numerous opportunities to leverage the expertise of network members. We now have partnerships with leading geriatric facilities and our technology is being utilized to co-develop sustainable care models for during and after COVID-19. Jayiesh Singh, founder and CEO, Able Innovations
”
At AGE-WELL, great ideas are just the beginning. We care deeply about concrete outputs—and getting innovations to people who need them. That could be an end-user, a policy-maker or a health professional. To that end, we carefully track every project’s progress using a “product readiness level” scale, ensuring that it advances along the innovation pipeline. AGE-WELL has over 100 products already deployed or in development.
Supporting successful startups We are proud to support a growing number of Canadian startups and entrepreneurs who are developing needed products, creating jobs and generating wealth. Since launching the AGE-WELL Startup Affiliate program in July 2019, we have continued to develop programs, resources and market opportunities for a portfolio that now includes 47 startups. Combined, these companies have a total of 37 products on the market. And they are making a difference in challenging times. Take, for instance, Curovate, which in 2020 released an app for in-home rehab after knee replacement surgery. On page 36, we profile a 72-year-old who benefited from this app amid a COVID-19 lockdown. Startup affiliate Tenera Care is rolling out a platform that can be used for contact tracing in senior living facilities. If someone tests positive, it shows who the individual has interacted with, at what distance, in what location, and for how long.
22
AGE-WELL ANNUAL REPORT 2019-2020
Dr. Frank Naccarato, president of Quantum Robotic Systems, developed the ROSA, a robotic stairclimbing assistant, in collaboration with George Brown College’s School of Mechanical Engineering Technologies, assisted by AGE-WELL’s Strategic Investment Program.
