San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) November 17, 2017
Nearly 1000 startups, senior care providers, investors, government representatives and older adults from over 20 countries gathered in San Francisco this week for the annual Aging2.0 OPTIMIZE conference. The two-day event featured the finale of the Global Startup Search, launched the new ‘Grand Challenges’ and included sessions on design, artificial intelligence and new models of care.
The Aging2.0 Global Startup Search, a 30 city, year-long global program to find the best startups in aging was won by Unforgettable.org, a UK-based marketplace for products and services for dementia. They took home the grand prize: a $10,000 check and a one-year membership to the Aging2.0 Alliance corporate partner program. The four other finalists - OnGuardian, Silver Bills, Steadiwear and Uniper Care Technologies - were chosen from 30 winners of local Chapter events in 12 countries that took place throughout this year.
James Ashwell, founder of Unforgettable said, “Thanks to Aging2.0 for a fantastic event with loads of high quality ideas. This recognition means a lot to our small and dedicated team. The prize money will be used to thank our customers by offering Unforgettable experiences to make some dreams come true for families affected by dementia.”
The conference also saw the launch of the Aging2.0 Grand Challenges - a global effort to drive collaboration around the biggest challenges and opportunities in aging. These eight topics are the new innovation priorities for the Aging2.0 community globally: Engagement & Purpose, Financial Wellness, Mobility & Movement, Daily Living & Lifestyle, Caregiving, Care Coordination, Brain Health and End of Life. Aging2.0 announced that it will focus on Brain Health and Caregiving in 2018, and they are developing a strategic plan that unites its 50 global chapters and 170-member corporate Alliance program to work on accelerating innovation in these areas.
Keynotes and panels covered topics at the intersection of tech and aging, including famed designer Yves Behar discussing design in the age of AI, Dr. Bill Thomas highlighting the need to support independence (rather than dependence), Cynthia Breazeal on the the application of robots and AI to care, and Chip Conley sharing his new vision for the modern elder.
Aging2.0 co-founder and CEO Stephen Johnston said, “This event brought together some of the brightest minds from across our global network to share their visions and spark collaboration so we can build a better aging experience for everyone. The Grand Challenges lays out a new framework for collective action and we’re excited about diving into the future of Brain Health and Caregiving in 2018. Unforgettable is a fitting winner, highlighting that innovations are happening around the world, and we need to make this a global conversation.”