In May 2023, a national kick-off event was held for envisAGE, a large-scale pan-Canadian initiative with the mission of catalyzing Canada’s AgeTech ecosystem by supporting innovators to grow and scale their enterprises and deliver technology solutions that help older Canadians maintain a better quality of life, longer.

The event, held in Gatineau and hosted jointly by AGE-WELL & MEDTEQ+, brought together various envisAGE stakeholders to foster collaboration. A panel discussion featuring Jordan D’Souza, Head of Innovation for VHA Home HealthCare (VHA), along with Amélie Paquette from Innovitech, Kaeven Martin from Evey, Sabby Duthie of IHA Canada and Laurie Rivet of Tenera Care shared examples of how partners are joining forces to create and deliver innovative projects.

Speaking about VHA’s collaboration with Tenera Care to bring technologies into the home, Jordan shared, “With so many technologies in the marketplace, having access to AGE-WELL’s trusted pipeline of products we know are safe to be deployed into people’s homes provides a level of confidence that allows us to quickly move forward.”

Through envisAGE, small to medium enterprise companies are able to collaborate closely with communities, retirement homes, long-term care homes and private homes, where they can demonstrate and implement their products while creating a pathway to scale their venture.

“At this stage, technology deployments and installations are very hands-on as we seek to understand the needs and concerns of clients and families to incorporate their feedback in future iterations of the product,” added Jordan. “This is a crucial step on the road towards successful commercialization, and it’s rewarding to work with partners who share our commitment to integrating the client voice.”

“Establishing trust, facilitating access to emerging technologies, and embracing collaboration create the conditions necessary for effectively introducing innovative solutions into people’s homes.”

To join envisAGE and learn more, visit: www.envis-age.ca. To learn more about research and innovation at VHA, visit: https://www.vha.ca/research.