How EnvisAGE is Revolutionizing AgeTech in Canada | The AgeTech Podcast S4E13

Keren Etkin: Sabrina, welcome to the show.

Sabrina Boutin: Thank you very much for having me here today.

Keren Etkin: So could you please introduce yourself and the EnvisAGE initiative? Because it’s fairly new and it’s possible that some people are just hearing about it for the first time.

Sabrina Boutin: Exactly. So thank you and that’s no problem for me. So EnvisAGE has been envisioned for three, four years ago by the peer previous owner and CEO of MedTechPlus and also in co leading and in, in collaboration with AgeWell. AgeWell is a network of aging and technology. It’s a network, pan Canadian network as well, that’s supporting academia and researcher in, pushing boundaries in, realizing or developing technologies to support older adult and quality aging.

Medtechplus, who’s collaborating and co leading EnvisAGE with AgeWell. Medtechplus is a consortium of of an organization that supports SMEs, but also academic collaboration Research and R and D development in med tech as a whole, but understanding that AgeTech is also part of med tech in terms of an umbrella or umbrella categories for technology in health and for population then the mix between AgeWell and MedTechPlus was to be seen and was a good collaboration to bring the EnvisAGE initiative to life. So that was initiated a couple of years ago. EnvisAGE, the EnvisAGE initiative was then submitted to a federal fund for Canada and it was accepted and rendered eligible. And then the EnvisAGE. Then project proposal became a real life initiative, and then we were able to launch our first forum, our first event last year in October 2023, and I would say that from that time, everything just was launched and took flight.

Keren Etkin: That is awesome. And I love how they. Canadian government recognizes the importance of AgeTech and of collaborations to bring to commercialize AgeTech solutions. And I believe government funding really goes a long way towards helping startups in those phases. So you launched in October 2023. Your second call for proposals was just finalized Can you tell us a little bit about the types of startups that are encouraged to apply to EnvisAGE

Sabrina Boutin: exactly. So we we were successful in exactly that launching our second call for innovation. Second call for innovation for EnvisAGE and just to reiterate the EnvisAGE unveiling how we call it. So unveiling of, we received the funding from the federal government was actually publicized in January, 2023, but we realized our first forum, our first call for innovation in October, 2023, just to be to clarify sometimes on the timeline of that large scale initiative. Then our second call that was launched last October of this year. We were able to to announce the first cohort of projects in EnvisAGE. So from the last year project selection and evaluation process, 16 projects were selected and those are the ones that are publicized and announced on our website and also publicly across Canada. So in those 16 projects, we go from. Technologies and SMEs that have technologies that are supporting older adults at home, but also others that are more geared to supporting organizations that are either community based or private or socially based that are supporting older adults and caregivers and offering services that goes from food to being as well. For EnvisAGE, what we’re aiming in terms of SMEs and collaboration with, Different type of organization is really SMEs that have technologies that are TRL seven and nine, pre commercialization and commercialization. So we’re less into that world of pilot testing or proof of concept where SMEs need to collaborate with an organization to generate the first data or have a proof of concept or understanding if it does work in the targeted population.

Our visage is a little bit further than that. What we want is moving away from piloting and ensuring that we are integrating, demonstrating something with stronger data that have done its proof, but now that can be commercialized and also deployed in different settings. So those are the type of SMEs, maturity, and TRL for technologies that we’re looking for in terms of eligibility to just enter in an EnvisAGE cohort.

Keren Etkin: and how does the collaborative aspect of this initiative work so that they do, the startups that apply already need to have a partner that they want to collaborate with so they can share the grant?

Sabrina Boutin: So we have the two scenarios and multiple actually scenarios. In most of our projects, we have SMEs that may already be in a relationship, a collaboration with an organization or in discussion to develop or build a project. So those are admissible, eligible for EnvisAGE. The SMEs or even the organization will work together, they could write together a letter of intention and apply for EnvisAGE to see if they could then progress to the other phases of the process and then build a project proposal. We also have a different scenarios where an SME, across Canada has a technology, thinks it’s it’s worth to apply to EnvisAGE, but doesn’t really have a relationship with an organization. So the EnvisAGE team, since we’re supporting NESMEs or organization across Canada, we are also, We have the knowledge with our different partners of the type of organization also that have different needs. And then we have that pipeline of SMEs that are alone or solo that would require matchmaking. That’s how we could call it with a different organization that would fit the needs with the technology. So the EnvisAGE team is supporting that matchmaking as well. It’s you know, a longer process.

It’s more effort and ensuring that we probably deepen the need assessment of the organization, making sure that there’s a quite good understanding of their needs and their capacity. And in the same time, in parallel, we need to make sure that the technology that the SME has can readily answer that needs.

And if there’s a fit, there’s an introduction. And then we in terms of cross cross We will support that matchmaking and also the project proposal development as well, because now the relationship is from new to we’re going to build something together. So it takes a little bit more support. So those 2 scenarios are what we see.

We have seen our first court. And in that second core as well. And if I can add really quickly, we also have a third scenario because in most of our projects in EnvisAGE, we have either expert centers that could support the R& D development or the evaluation. We call them the beach-heads. or the innovation hubs. And those sometimes they already are acquainted or they know SMEs, they know organizations. So sometimes those expertise centers are the one identifying SMEs and organizations that could develop a project with them. And then there’s a path to project proposal development as well.

Keren Etkin: It makes a lot of sense ~to go always~ because between med tech and. Age well, you have such vast networks of organizations, and so I love that you also do the matchmaking and you are involved in facilitating these collaborations.

Sabrina Boutin: Exactly.

Keren Etkin: I wonder is it a requirement for the startup to have headquarters somewhere in Canada or can an American startup find a collaborator within Canada and apply with them to the grant?

Sabrina Boutin: The important things since it’s public funding and EnvisAGE is providing a funding contribution. So again, in our initiative we do not fund 100% the cost of the projects. It’s a contribution that is provided, but because it’s public funding, because it’s Canadian funding one eligibility criteria for EnvisAGE is that the, one of the SME And the next quarter has to be in Canada. There’s a IP intellectual property concept and also parameters that we have to follow as well. If we have SMEs or companies that are coming from outside Canada, They need to be able to work with an SME that is in Canada as well, and we have to look then and have the negotiation and the discussion in terms of IP and the IP has to stay in Canada.

So that’s quite important as well.

Keren Etkin: That also totally makes a lot of sense. And I assume it also maybe motivates some startups to set up headquarters in Canada and to maybe open some jobs for talented Canadians to apply and come work with the startup.

Sabrina Boutin: Exactly. And now we have a capacity to collaborate with international and it’s not to close the door because we also need to be able to show the SMEs or let’s say our success projects, successful projects success outside Canada as well. It’s quite important to be able to show that we can also have a, that Canada has its place in terms of developing AgeTech, building new business model as well. And so those collaboration with creativity, I think we can also have have a capacity to support those type of projects as well.

Keren Etkin: Absolutely. And the funding is because it’s grant funding, It’s non dilutive EnvisAGE doesn’t take equity in the project. Okay. And is it possible for an established company that has a new type of technology to still apply?

Sabrina Boutin: If the company has a new type of technology. So what we’re looking for, we don’t take equity, but with EnvisAGE and if the success the projects is successful, if the SMEs also was able to develop some r and d and is groundbreaking. So what we’re look, we will be looking for is ensuring with the different partnership we have with VCs with other contributors, if there’s an interest, then. For us, for our EnvisAGE, one of our goal is also to be able to bring visibility to that SME or that technology to be able to be seen for investors and other type of partners or a large multinational as well. So if even if the technology is a known one, a strong one, We still need to have a little bit of R and D to be able to fit into that program. And in any way possible, we would also be able to support some of those innovators depending on their ask.

Keren Etkin: And that makes a lot of sense. And the application process is, it has multiple steps. Can you walk us through what is it like For an SME to apply and how long does it typically get before getting to the final yes, we’re going to fund this project.

Sabrina Boutin: So there’s a window of six months averaging six, seven months, depending sometimes if we have to extend the submission period. So we’re not quite different from, other type of grant or, even research initiative funding initiative where you would be looking at a a launch of a call.

We are publicizing that the there’s a the doors are open to to express your interest. So within the month from the launch of of that information and the first submission phase, which is a letter of intention or expression of interest, we have these two meaning that if you have an SME that’s already known and collaborating with an organization, then there’s, they have a type of documents to fill out. If it’s a single organization or a single SME, it’s a different document. But that period is within the month from the launch of the call to expressing your interest that you may have a technology or project that could be fitting with EnvisAGE, then you have that month window. Then we have a good three months. Period SMEs needs to go through due diligence. That’s quite important on our process. And it’s comparable to others as well ensuring that there’s a strength in an SME to support an integration and deployment because it’s not a pilot because sometimes the organization, they do not know the SMEs. We also have a, Reputation, but also quality assurance that the pipeline of SMEs and even organization we bring into EnvisAGE are strong enough and have the capacity to go into that integration project, but beyond because we’re looking for commercialization. So we need to ensure that it is. The project can be sustainable if it’s to be submitted in EnvisAGE. That three month window after is a longer phase because there’s matchmaking, like I explained a bit before. So if the organization and the SME or even the expert centers, they don’t know each other, there’s that trust building and also understanding of what they want to do in the project.

So that’s quite important. Then We have the submission date, which is along that four month window and then goes the evaluation process that, that takes a good month and a half, two months. We have a strong governance in EnvisAGE, five governance committees uh, board of directors, so as you understand there’s also some oversight from federal government so that’s why that six month window six to seven months is quite important, but we have to time.

Two phases of submission for EnvisAGE throughout the year, one in spring, one in fall. So what it does is that if an organization is submitting the letter of intention early on in December, they can submit in March or the, if they pass that March window, they have another opportunity later on in the fall to submit their project proposal. And what’s good in EnvisAGE is So we have a lot of resources across Canada with the staff we have, we support that project proposal development. We support the negotiation reading the contracts and also on and so forth. So there’s a lot in it but we have tools supporting documentation, a website to be able to support any organization or enterprise that would be interested in submitting. It’s wonderful

Keren Etkin: that you are not just facilitating these collaborations, but also supporting the process. And because I imagine just going through. All of the legal documentation a long and cumbersome process. Can you perhaps share some examples from the first cohort of 16 companies of successful collaborations or even successful commercializations?

Sabrina Boutin: yeah, from the 16 and there’s one that was actually two weeks or three weeks ago there was an interview and I think it was on the news. There’s without naming specifically different enterprise because I think they’re all at the beginning of their project launching at this point in time. But there’s one that’s a robotic. Kitchen, but this one we can name. It’s called chef Jasper. So for any organization that had our housing or aging in place for the older adults so looking at optimizing some of the processes in the kitchen for for food, for quality and wellbeing of their residents. So those are the type of technologies that we’re seeing. We also have a couple of safety virtual monitoring at home or in the an organization that’s providing also long term care or resident housing. So those are quite interesting because there are different technologies.

I think we have three projects that are looking at monitoring Virtual wellbeing ensuring that there’s also assistance from either caregivers that are quite important in all of our projects. So those type of technologies of preventing falls for sure. So they come back. But even if you look at research, you look at the community-based organization or even older at the, at home the fear of falling, the risk of fall or the prevalence of that, those type of incidents.

are still the ones coming first in the needs. So that’s why sometimes we see a lot of fall prevention technology and we always wonder how many could we have in that sector. But it’s, I think it’s quite interesting to be able to compare. And there’s a still a market that has space for different type of technologies in for different To answer that needs. So we’re looking at that too. And the others that are quite interesting also for self monitoring in terms of heart monitoring dementia as well. And so on and so forth. So I think our 16 projects are giving us a good view of our first cohort. But looking at the second court right now and what’s coming in there’s more projects the span of needs are quite important. And for EnvisAGE, we’re looking at healthcare, home care, transport, finance being connecting with communities. So we have our eight Challenges are eight needs that are, that have been identified by AgeWell. Those are the, still the ones that we’re looking for all our call for innovations.

They’re quite large, but they can answer a variety of needs coming from the population and the community.

Keren Etkin: Absolutely. And since AGE-WELL did such a phenomenal job in defining those eight challenge areas, I assume that they will be going forward with EnvisAGE for the entire duration of your funding.

Sabrina Boutin: Exactly. But what we are open to as well is, working with different governments because we have received funding from the federal government, but we also have received funding from provincial Quebec. We’re looking for Ontario, Alberta. So our goal is to work with engage and ensure contribution for all the provinces in Canada. So depending of the needs also in the priorities of the governments, we will also include other specifics or other targeted thematics, if we can say to fit the needs of our funders as well. So there’s capacity of always keeping those 8 challenges, but also being flexible in maybe launching mini calls on specific needs.

And if we we are grateful to also have a large older adults and caregiver committee and we will also have an ecosystem committee that will cover. Various stakeholders across Canada, and if we see that from the ground, there’s a different need, maybe that’s the one we would want to answer in one of those years, that EnvisAGE will be active.

Keren Etkin: That brings me to a question that had never occurred to me. ~So since you also got funding from some of the provincials, provinces~ Since you also got funding from some of the provinces, are they also a potential collaborator? Could a startup reach out to EnvisAGE and say, Hey, I’ve got this amazing ~for~ technology that can be used by municipalities, for example, and then they can go and work with one of the provinces to commercialize it.

Sabrina Boutin: They could, exactly. We could be a facilitator. Again, when you’re looking at procurement at that level, it’s quite different than a private organization that can just say it works. I buy it. So when you are with public public organization, there’s a different path. Sometimes more challenging, but we would be there as facilitator.

And if the government is interested in one technology for sure, we will want to be, we would want to be want to support that negotiation and that support as well.

Keren Etkin: And the funding for the initiative currently is for five years, am I correct?

Sabrina Boutin: Exactly. And the funding is for five years, but one of our goal and also a KPI is it’s funding to start the initiative. But again, We need to be viable. We need to be sustainable. So the goal is to again have the support from different ~organ~ government, but also looking for other type of sources of funding.

So private, we’re looking for multinationals. We’re open for partnership. Even with international venues or programs that are supporting healthy health, aging and caregivers support philanthropy is also one of our goal to look at foundations that are already supporting community-based organization. And that for us is important. How can they support our visa, but our car? Can those stakeholders support specific projects as well that could best fit with their mission?

Keren Etkin: That’s awesome. And I love cross cross sector collaborations. Looking at the long term vision, how do you see the EnvisAGE initiative transforming Canada’s aged care sector at the end of these five years and maybe 10 or 20 years down the line?

Sabrina Boutin: Exactly. And that’s a very good question. And, from the get go, I would say that what will be important is how can we leverage data or information inside and lessons learned that we will have from this first year and those first projects, but also how we develop that large scale initiative. How can we bring that information to a level where we can share with. Others that are already in AgeTech, again, EnvisAGE is a year old but there was also other organizations and other initiatives in that sector. How can we work together to ensure that we then create a Canadian insight and knowledge that could be even shared at the international level, but also across different ~uh,~ actors in Canada.

So I think EnvisAGE in itself can contribute to knowledge, can contribute to developing new AgeTech model, if we can call it this way and ensure that it it I think the word transformative is good, but it’s also catalyzing what’s already existing, but bringing maybe new information or insight at another level.

So our goal would be to gather any other interested organization or a large scale initiative, such as ours make sure that we have a space or a forum where we can share. Where we can develop some knowledge or documentation that can then be useful for at any level from the older adults and caregiver in their home, which is quite important and not only in urban area, but also rural and has, Canada is quite large and has large territories and we will have learnings as well from territories, municipalities and I think those needs to be spread and understood~ from many, for many.~

~Yeah, exactly, ~

Keren Etkin: Absolutely, and perhaps other countries that have vast territories and a large rural population can also learn from your insights,

Sabrina Boutin: Exactly.

Keren Etkin: So that was actually my last question. Is there anything that we didn’t talk about that you would like to add? Any call to action to our viewers or listeners?

Sabrina Boutin: Exactly. But what I can say right now is our second call was just launched. We’re still in the midst of receiving letter of intentions. We have our website where you can find the information on how to submit the letter of intention in that phase. We will be able to contact you, look at the eligibility.

And we hope that our teams will be able to support you in developing project or bringing forward your technology to support older adults and caregivers. So for us, I think it’s quite important as well. And what will be important is ensuring that our visage, It has its place and also can be transformative for Canada, but as well from other, any other places in the world.

Keren Etkin: Absolutely. Sabrina, thank you so much for joining me on the show today. It was an absolute pleasure meeting you and chatting with you about EnvisAGE.

Sabrina Boutin: No problem. And it was a pleasure. And any time I’ll be available.

Keren Etkin: Thank you.

Sabrina Boutin: Thank you.