The UK-Canada AgeTech Innovation Exchange programme is to launch an open competition for companies from the UK and Canada to work together with the aim of improving the health and wellbeing of elderly people through innovation.
Applicants should be developing innovative solutions which are at an appropriate stage of development, with a “perceived or potential significant positive impact on a healthcare priority”, which resonate with healthy ageing priorities and are export ready.
Suggested areas of work include ageing at home (digital lifestyle interventions, smart homes and voice tech, remote monitoring and more); health care and health service delivery for an ageing population (such as detection, testing and diagnosis, managing chronic conditions and care management systems ); cognitive and mental health in ageing and dementia (including digital therapies and living well with cognitive impairment); and autonomy and independence in older people (assistive devices, sustaining physical activity, digital health for rehab and more).
Companies will be able to apply for funding to take part in an international exchange visit or on a virtual support programme, funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and supported by other partners.
UK partners include The Northern Health Science Alliance (NHSA); The Four Northern Academic Health Science Networks (AHSNs); Health Innovation Manchester; Yorkshire and Humber AHSN; Innovation Agency (North West Coast AHSN); AHSN North East and North Cumbria; DIT (Department for International Trade).
Canadian partners include AGE-WELL and CABHI (Centre for Ageing + Brain Health Innovation).
Eight UK companies and five Canadian companies will be able to participate in the international exchange visit. In the UK, support for Canadian innovators will include a support programme provided by the northern AHSNs, whilst in Canada, UK innovators will have the opportunity to attend a workshop programme provided by the Canadian partners.
The virtual company support programme will see up to 25 companies from each country selected to participate, in order to help them refining and developing their offer and value proposition. This programme will include in-depth diagnostic reviews, virtual networking and webinars.
The competition opens on January 3 2023 and will close on February 3 2023.
To view the programme in more detail, click here.
